Context:
India’s aspiration of achieving “Viksit Bharat” is constrained by a persistent research and development (R&D) deficit, reflected in low investment, weak private sector participation, limited domestic innovation, and an ongoing brain drain, despite demographic and market advantages.
Key Highlights:
Status of India’s R&D Ecosystem:
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India’s R&D expenditure remains between 0.6%–0.7% of GDP, far below global peers.
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In 2023, India ranked 6th globally in patent filings with 64,480 applications, yet accounted for only 1.8% of global patents.
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Government sector dominates R&D funding (63.6%), while private industry contributes only 36.4%.
Global Comparison:
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China: ~2.4% of GDP on R&D
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USA: ~3.5% of GDP
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Israel: Over 5.4% of GDP
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Huawei alone spends more on R&D than India’s entire national outlay, highlighting scale disparity.
Innovation Output and Structural Issues:
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India produces only 3% of global research output, despite having 17.5% of the world’s population.
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Resident patent applications per million population rank 47th globally, indicating low innovation depth.
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Indian industry prefers incremental innovation and technology licensing over disruptive R&D.
Academia–Industry Disconnect:
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Weak collaboration limits technology transfer and commercialization.
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Significant research remains confined to academic publications without market application.
Brain Drain Challenge:
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Talented researchers migrate abroad due to better infrastructure, funding, and salaries.
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Domestic research institutions struggle to retain top talent.
Government Initiative:
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Launch of ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund to stimulate innovation.
Relevant Prelims Points:
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Issue: Low R&D spending and weak innovation ecosystem.
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Causes:
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Over-reliance on government funding
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Limited private sector participation
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Academia-industry gap
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Brain drain
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Government Initiatives:
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RDI Fund (₹1 lakh crore)
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National focus on innovation-driven growth
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Benefits of Strong R&D:
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Technological self-reliance
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Higher productivity and competitiveness
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Strategic autonomy
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Challenges:
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Risk-averse industry
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Inadequate research infrastructure
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Fragmented innovation ecosystem
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Impact:
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Slower progress towards Viksit Bharat
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Dependence on foreign technologies
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Relevant Mains Points:
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Facts & Definitions:
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R&D: Systematic activities to generate new knowledge and innovation.
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GDP: Indicator of economic output and capacity.
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Intellectual Property: Legal protection for innovations and creative works.
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Key Data:
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Target: Raise R&D spending to at least 2% of GDP in 5–7 years.
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Private sector contribution to rise to 50%.
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Strategic Focus Areas:
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Semiconductors
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Artificial Intelligence
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Quantum Computing
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Advanced Materials
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Green Energy
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Conceptual Clarity:
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Innovation-led growth is essential for economic resilience and national security.
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Way Forward:
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Scale up public and private R&D investment
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Strengthen academia–industry collaboration
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Convert universities into research-intensive institutions
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Expand PhD funding and research faculty positions
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Provide long-term mission-mode funding
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Create incentives to reverse brain drain
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UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
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GS 3: Economy – innovation, productivity, growth
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GS 3: Science & Technology – R&D, emerging technologies
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GS 2: Governance – policy support, institutional reforms