NITI Aayog recently released two reports on facilitating Research and Development (R&D) in India

  • NITI Aayog recently released two reports on Ease of Doing Research & Development in India, aimed at enabling a more efficient, facilitative, and innovation-driven research ecosystem in the country.The reports provide a comprehensive assessment of India’s R&D ecosystem and outline a set of actionable recommendations focused on improving funding mechanisms, institutional governance, regulatory frameworks, and research translation.A key emphasis is on shifting towards a more trust-based, outcome-oriented, and facilitative environment to enable researchers and institutions to perform at their full potential.This initiative aligns with India’s vision of becoming a global innovation hub under the “Viksit Bharat” framework.

Key Highlights of the Reports

  • ¨  ROPE Framework (Removing Obstacles, Promoting Enablers): The reports propose the ROPE framework as a central reform strategy to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and promote a supportive ecosystem for research and innovation.
  •     Focus on “Lab-to-Market” Translation: There is a strong emphasis on translating research into commercially viable technologies, moving beyond academic outputs to real-world applications.
  •     Enhancing Funding Mechanisms: The reports recommend diversifying funding sources, including greater private sector and CSR participation, to supplement public investment.
  •    The reports stress the need to better leverage the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) / Anusandhan‑National Research Foundation (ANRF) fund.
  •     Governance and Regulatory Reforms: Simplification of procedures, reduction in approvals, and improved institutional governance are highlighted as critical to improving ease of doing R&D.
  •     Building a Trust-Based Ecosystem: The reports advocate a shift from compliance-heavy systems to trust-based frameworks, enabling researchers to focus on innovation rather than administrative burdens.

State of India’s R&D Landscape

  • ¨     India has emerged as a significant global knowledge producer, with rising research output and has improved its ranking to 38th on the Global Innovation Index.
  •     However, the Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) remains low at around 0.6–0.7% of GDP, which is significantly below leading innovation economies.
  •      The R&D ecosystem is largely public-sector driven, with the private sector contributing less than 40% of total R&D, a stark contrast to advanced economies where the private sector accounts for over 70%.
  •     Further, according to the WIPO World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) 2024 report, India ranked 6th globally in patent applications with 64,480 filings in 2023.