India’s Spending on Research & Development (R&D) Doubled in last Decade | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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India’s Spending on Research & Development (R&D) Doubled in last Decade

Posted 05 Mar 2025

2 min read

India’s Status in R&D

  • Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD): Consistently increased over the years and has more than doubled from Rs. 60,196.75 crore in 2010–11 to Rs. 127,380.96 crore in 2020–21.
  • GERD is mainly driven by the Government sector:Central Government (43.7%), State Governments (6.7%), Higher Education (8.8%) & Public Sector Industry (4.4%). 
  • Women participation: In extramural R&D projects has increased significantly to 25% in 2019–20 from 13% in 2000–01. 
  • India’s Global Standing in Innovation and IP: India ranks 39th in Global Innovation Index 2024 and 6th position in global Intellectual Property (IP) filings, as per the WIPO report. 

Challenges

  • India’s Low GERD as percentage of GDP: It remained at 0.64% (2020–21), whereas most of the developed countries spent more than 2% of their GDP on R&D.
  • Low Private Sector Contribution: It contributed 36.4% (2020–21). In most of the developed & emerging economies, participation of Business Enterprises in GERD is generally more than 50%.
  • Other: Brain Drain (Researchers moving abroad due to better opportunities), weak Industry-academia collaboration, lack of cutting-edge infrastructure etc. 

Initiatives Undertaken to Promote R&D in India

  • Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): Launched under the ANRF Act 2023, it is accelerating India’s research and development ecosystem.
  • National AI Mission: Promotes AI-based research and applications across sectors.
  • Institutions Promoting R&D: DRDO, BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council), SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board) etc.  
  • Other: WISE-PhD and WISE-Post Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF), Atal Innovation Mission etc. 
  • Tags :
  • Global Innovation Index
  • Research and Development
  • India’s Status in R&D
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