A decade of placing research and innovation at the centre, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the call for “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan” in January 2019, emphasizing research and innovation.
• India's rank in the Global Innovation Index improved from 81st in 2015 to a projected 38th in 2025.
• Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) tripled from ₹79,355.89 crore in 2013-14 to ₹2,44,767.81 crore in 2023-24, reaching 0.84% of GDP.
• The private sector's share of GERD increased from 32.2% to 45.2% over the last decade.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund were established to bolster research funding.
• India's bio-economy grew from $10 billion in 2014 to $195.3 billion in 2025, with a projection to reach $300 billion by 2030.
• India is now the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem, boasting over 2 lakh registered start-ups and more than 130 unicorns.

Innovation Index.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• The vision articulated by PM Modi positions research and innovation as central to economic growth, strategic security, industrial development, entrepreneurship, and citizen services.
• India ranks third globally in the volume of scientific and engineering publications.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation funds new research and promotes collaboration among academia, industry, and government.
• The RDI Fund addresses the "valley of death" in technology development by providing patient, risk-tolerant capital for pilot-scale demonstration and productization.
• Initiatives like Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)-KIRAN, Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI), and Vigyan Jyoti aim to increase opportunities for women in STEM.
• Mission-mode capabilities are being developed through programs such as the National Quantum Mission, IndiaAI Mission, and Indian Semiconductor Mission.
• The BioE3 Policy provides a foundation for biotechnology, while the Deep Ocean Mission and Mission Mausam focus on resource and climate security.
• The Indian Space Policy, 2023 and IN-SPACe have opened the space sector to private participation, leading to over 400 space start-ups.
• The SHAKTI Act provides a legal framework for private participation in nuclear energy, subject to regulatory requirements.
• India's digital public infrastructure, built around the JAM trinity, has expanded with UPI, DigiLocker, Account Aggregator, and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission.
• Technology like satellites, drones, remote sensing, GIS, and AI are increasingly utilized in agriculture for precision farming and farmer advisories.
• Start-up India, launched in 2016, has fostered entrepreneurship through schemes like Seed Fund, Fund of Funds, Credit Guarantee Scheme, and Atal Innovation Mission.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Global Innovation Index (GII): An annual ranking of countries by their capacity for, and success in, innovation.
• Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD): The total amount of money spent on R&D activities within a country.
• Valley of Death: A term describing the funding gap between basic research and the commercialization of new technologies.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Open, interoperable digital systems that facilitate the delivery of essential public and private services.## Key Highlights:
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the call for “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan” in January 2019, emphasizing research and innovation as a primary agenda.
• India's rank in the Global Innovation Index improved significantly from 81st in 2015 to a projected 38th in 2025.
• Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) tripled from ₹79,355.89 crore in 2013-14 to ₹2,44,767.81 crore in 2023-24, reaching 0.84% of GDP.
• The private sector's share of GERD increased from 32.2% to 45.2% over the last decade.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund were established to bolster research funding and infrastructure.
• India's bio-economy grew from approximately $10 billion in 2014 to $195.3 billion in 2025, with a projection to reach $300 billion by 2030.
• India is now the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem, boasting over 2 lakh registered start-ups and more than 130 unicorns.

Detailed Insights:

• The vision articulated by PM Modi positions research and innovation as central to economic growth, strategic security, industrial development, entrepreneurship, and citizen-centric service delivery.
• India ranks third globally in the volume of scientific and engineering publications.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation funds new research across universities, colleges, and R&D labs while encouraging collaboration among academia, industry, and government.
• The RDI Fund addresses the "valley of death" in technology development by providing patient, risk-tolerant capital for pilot-scale demonstration and productization.
• Initiatives like Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)-KIRAN, Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI), and Vigyan Jyoti aim to increase opportunities for women in STEM fields.
• Mission-mode capabilities are being developed around specific sectoral priorities through programs such as the National Quantum Mission, IndiaAI Mission, and Indian Semiconductor Mission.
• The BioE3 Policy provides a broad foundation for biotechnology, while the Deep Ocean Mission and Mission Mausam extend the integrated ecosystem approach into resource and climate security.
• The Indian Space Policy, 2023 and the establishment of IN-SPACe have opened the space sector to private participation, leading to over 400 space start-ups.
• The SHAKTI Act provides a legal framework for private participation in nuclear energy, subject to licensing, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• India's digital public infrastructure, built around the JAM trinity, has expanded with UPI, DigiLocker, Account Aggregator, and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission.
• Technology like satellites, drones, remote sensing, GIS, and AI are increasingly utilized in agriculture for crop monitoring, precision farming, yield estimation, and farmer advisories.
• Start-up India, launched in 2016, has fostered entrepreneurship through a wide range of schemes such as the Seed Fund, Fund of Funds, Credit Guarantee Scheme, and Atal Innovation Mission.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Global Innovation Index (GII): An annual ranking of countries by their capacity for, and success in, innovation.
• Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD): The total amount of money spent on R&D activities within a country.
• Valley of Death: A term describing the funding gap between basic research and the commercialization of new technologies.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Open, interoperable digital systems that facilitate the delivery of essential public and private services.