Parliament Question: Research And Development Expenditure

Key Highlights:

• India's Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) has shown an increasing trend, reaching ₹244,767.81 crore in 2023-24.
• GERD as a percentage of GDP increased from 0.66% in 2019-20 to 0.84% in 2023-24.
• The private sector's share in total R&D expenditure surpassed the government sector, reaching 51.8% in 2023-24.
• Government launched a ₹1.0 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund to boost private sector R&D.
• Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) established with a ₹14,000 crore Central Government provision to mobilize R&D funding.
• Several national missions like National Quantum Mission and India Semiconductor Mission are promoting R&D.

Detailed Insights:

• The Department of Science and Technology (DST)'s "Research & Development Statistics 2025-26" report tracks these trends.
• Private sector R&D expenditure significantly increased from ₹44,753.54 crore in 2019-20 to ₹118,351.68 crore in 2023-24.
• Higher Education Institutions' share in total R&D expenditure rose from 7.5% to 12.6% during the period.
• The RDI Fund aims to catalyze private sector investment in high-risk and strategic research.
• ANRF seeks to enhance collaboration and funding from non-governmental sources for research.
• National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (₹3,660 crore) and National Supercomputing Mission are key initiatives.
• Programmes like NIDHI, BIRAC, iDEX, and TIDE 2.0 strengthen indigenous technology development and industry linkages.
• New policy frameworks like Geospatial Policy 2022, Space Policy 2023, and BioE3 Policy 2024 encourage private sector participation.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD): Total domestic expenditure on R&D performed within a country during a given period.
• Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): An apex body established to foster research, innovation, and entrepreneurship across universities and colleges.
• National Quantum Mission: A government initiative to develop quantum technologies and related applications in India.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborative arrangements between government entities and private sector companies for projects or services.