Parliament Question: Expenditure On R&D

Key Highlights:

• India's Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) increased from ₹1.32 lakh crore in 2019-20 to ₹2.44 lakh crore in 2023-24.
• GERD as a percentage of GDP rose from 0.66% to 0.84% during the same period.
• Private sector R&D expenditure surpassed government sector expenditure 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) was established with a ₹14,000 crore central budgetary provision.
• India's Global Innovation Index (GII) ranking improved from 46th in 2021 to 38th in 2025.

Detailed Insights:

• The government is progressively increasing budget allocations for scientific departments and research-oriented programmes.
• The RDI Fund aims to catalyze private sector participation and investment in high-risk and strategic research.
• ANRF will mobilize additional funding from non-governmental sources to strengthen research across institutions.
• National Missions like National Quantum Mission and India Semiconductor Mission are driving focused R&D efforts with significant outlays.
• Promotion of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) and creation of Technology Hubs foster collaborative technology development.
• Technology-led innovation programs such as NIDHI and BIRAC support indigenous technology development and industry linkages.
• Enabling policy frameworks like the Geospatial Policy 2022 and Space Policy 2023 encourage increased private sector participation.
• India's improved GII ranking indicates high innovation efficiency, effectively converting resources into tangible outcomes.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD): The total expenditure on research and development activities by both government and private sectors within a country.
• Global Innovation Index (GII): An annual ranking of countries by their capacity for, and success in, innovation, published by WIPO.
• Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): A new body established to foster research and development across universities and research institutions in India.