India’s Reforms Moment in Science and Technology

Source: The post “India’s Reforms Moment in Science and Technology” has been created, based on “India’s Reforms Moment in Science and Technology” published in “Hindustan Times” on 1 November 2025. India’s Reforms Moment in Science and Technology.

UPSC Syllabus: GS Paper -3- Science and technology

Context: The global technological landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. Geopolitical alliances are being redrawn, supply chains are being weaponised, and economic borders are tightening. In this emerging order, technological sovereignty has become synonymous with national sovereignty. India’s pragmatic response under the Narendra Modi government has been to lay the foundation for a modern innovation economy—expanding its digital public infrastructure (DPI), opening strategic sectors like defence and space to private enterprise, and nurturing the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem.

Now, with the launch of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, India is poised for a transformational reform moment in science and technology.

Current State of India’s Science and Technology Ecosystem

1. In 2024, India’s total R&D expenditure stood at about $18 billion, less than one-twentieth of China’s $450 billion and below Israel’s $25 billion.
2. To achieve leadership in critical technologies, India targets $200 billion in R&D investment by 2035—roughly 3% of projected GDP.
3. The country’s scientific base—IITs, IISc, and research labs—has made major strides in advanced R&D, producing more postgraduates than undergraduates and improving both scale and quality.

Achievements and Strengths

• Institutional Excellence
  1. IIT Madras: Created the world’s most detailed 3D images of the human foetal brain (10× sharper).
  2. IIT Kanpur: Developed an artificial heart prototype at one-seventh the cost of global leaders.
  3. IIT Bombay: Pioneered CAR-T cell therapy for cancer, cutting treatment costs for Indian patients by 90%.
  4. IISc Bengaluru: Designed a brain-inspired analog computing platform with 16,500 conductance states—advancing AI computing.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): India’s DPI has already shown how visionary policy, executed at scale, can transform governance and enable inclusive innovation.
• Start-up Momentum: With over 100,000 start-ups, India is nurturing a robust ecosystem for deep-tech ventures and R&D-based entrepreneurship.

Challenges in India’s Science and Technology Sector

1. Chronic Underinvestment in R&D: India’s R&D spending remains below 1% of GDP, among the lowest for major economies. Achieving the 3% target by 2035 requires substantial increases in public and private investment.
2. Low Private Sector Participation: Industry contributes only about one-third of India’s total R&D expenditure, while globally, private enterprise contributes two-thirds or more.
3. Fragmented Institutional Framework: Research remains scattered across multiple ministries and agencies, leading to overlap, inefficiency, and slow coordination.
4. Limited Commercialisation of Research: Indian academia often stops at publication rather than productisation. Weak industry–academia linkages impede conversion of innovations into marketable technologies.
5. Brain Drain and Talent Utilisation: Despite a large talent pool, limited research funding and infrastructure drive many top scientists abroad.
6. Risk Aversion and Bureaucratic Delays: Excessive regulation, slow approvals, and fear of audit scrutiny create a risk-averse culture that stifles experimentation and breakthrough innovation.
7. Underdeveloped Deep-Tech Ecosystem: Sectors such as semiconductors, quantum computing, and biotechnology remain nascent due to lack of sustained funding and long-term strategy.

Major Policy Reforms and Institutional Innovations

1. Ease of Doing Research: The government has introduced a new framework simplifying approvals, promoting autonomy, and empowering scientists. This reform has been described as India’s “1991-style liberalisation moment” for research.
2. Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
   1. It is modelled on the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).
   2. ₹50,000 crore investment over five years to fund basic and applied research across universities, labs, and industries.
   3. Encourages industry collaboration, interdisciplinary projects, and funding for research clusters.
3. Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund
   1. ₹1-lakh-crore fund to catalyse private-sector-led R&D.
   2. Provides long-term, low-cost financing—including equity and hybrid instruments—to corporates, start-ups, and FROs (Foundations for R&D Organisations).
   3. Focus on strategic and emerging technologies: semiconductors, quantum computing, biotech, space, energy, and defence.
4. Professionalised Management
   1. Managed by independent experts from finance, industry, and technology—not by bureaucrats.
   2. Ensures efficient and merit-based decision-making for innovation investments.

5. Industry–Government Synergy: The ANRF and RDI Fund present a historic opportunity for India’s government, academia, and industry to co-innovate across sectors, fostering a deep-tech ecosystem.

Significance and Transformational Potential

1. The reforms can unlock India’s innovation potential similar to the U.S. post-World War II scientific transformation driven by “Science: The Endless Frontier” (1945).
2. By integrating public funding, private entrepreneurship, and academic excellence, India can achieve technological self-reliance and global competitiveness.
3. These measures align with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, where innovation and excellence in science are central to national prosperity.

Way Forward

1. Adopt a National Mission Approach: Treat R&D as a strategic national priority, demanding conviction and courage across ministries.
2. Encourage Risk-Taking in Research: Recognise that failures are stepping stones to innovation; avoid a blame culture that inhibits experimentation.
3. Strengthen Academia–Industry Linkages: Establish joint research funds, innovation clusters, and shared IP frameworks.
4. Build Intellectual Property and Human Capital: Shift focus from contract R&D to proprietary innovation; nurture IP ownership by Indian firms.
5. Effective Implementation and Monitoring: Timely execution and measurable outcomes must guide policy delivery.
6. Global Partnerships: Leverage collaboration with the U.S., Japan, EU, and others for advanced tech research while ensuring strategic autonomy.

Conclusion: India’s reforms in science and technology mark the beginning of a new era of innovation-driven growth. With the ANRF and RDI Fund, India has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform its research ecosystem, achieve technological sovereignty, and secure a leading place in the global innovation order. If the government, industry, and academia act in concert—with courage, efficiency, and vision—this could become India’s “1991 moment” for science and technology, heralding a truly Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Question: India’s recent policy reforms such as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund mark a turning point in the country’s science and technology ecosystem. Discuss the key challenges and opportunities these reforms present for achieving technological self-reliance.