An Indian success story in science and technology

India’s achievements in science and technology under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is no exception to criticism from the Left-liberal circles. However, there has been significant progress in the Science and Technology (S&T) sector in the last 10 years. Long-term and sustainable financial commitment to S&T is essential as most projects are of a long gestation. Gross R&D expenditure has doubled from ₹ 60,000 crore in 2010-11 to ₹ 1.2 lakh crore last year. The total expenditure of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has gone up from around ₹ 3,200 crore in 2013-14 to ₹ 6,700 crore in 2021-22.

Several forward-looking policy decisions were taken by the Modi government to foster this sector. For instance, the 2015 start-up policy has become a key driver of the rapid growth of start-ups in India. Similarly, the recently announced National Research Foundation will be an integrated funding agency (broadly based on the National Science Foundation, United States) with a sanctioned financial outlay of ₹ 14,000 crore over the next five years, or 2.5 times of the amount approved to its previous avatar, Science and Engineering Research Board. Last year, 14 autonomous biotechnology institutes under the department of biotechnology were brought under one apex body (Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council), bringing about significant synergies.

Investment in S&T has resulted in significant enhancement both in quality and quantity of outcomes. In terms of the number of scientific publications, India’s ranking went from 7th in 2010 to 5th in 2015 and now 3rd in 2023, behind China and the US. In scientific research, the quality of publications has more value than their quantity. Even on this parameter, India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index (based on 80 parameters by the World Intellectual Property Organisation) jumped from 81 in 2013-14 to 40 in 2023.

There have been significant advancements in protecting indigenous technologies in terms of filing patents. India’s patent filing has grown significantly in recent years — in 2022, it registered the largest increase of 22%. India is now ranked seventh in terms of resident patent filing. In 2022, 82,000 patent applications were filed in the Indian Patent Office and 34,000 patents were granted. The Indian Patent Office granted over 100,000 patents between March 15, 2023, and March 14, 2024. The Centre has also announced significant concessions on capital gains tax if the intellectual property (IP) generated by Indian entities is monetised, further encouraging commercialisation of IP. The launch of the Quantum Computing Mission, Semiconductor Mission, India AI Mission, and National Biopharma Mission, further proves India’s long-term commitment to cutting-edge technologies.

India now figures in the global telecom standards map with indigenous IP incorporated into “5G and beyond” technologies. The pan-IIT project on 5G has indigenously developed 5G systems and technology that has been transferred to the Tata group. Similarly, India’s success in developing indigenous vaccines against Covid-19 would not have been possible without the active support of DBT.

As of April 2024, over 127,0000 start-ups had been officially recognised — close to 30% more than the number last year. The start-up ecosystem received a boost from a sector-specific funding programme. For example, the number of bio incubators (funded by Biotech Industry Research Assistance Council, DBT) has gone up from six in 2014 to 95 in 2024. Technologies developed with the support of BIRAC have resulted in the launch of over 800 products in the market. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is another unique initiative of the Modi government. From inculcating the spirit of innovation in school students (Atal Tinkering Labs) to funding start-ups, it has created and supported an entire innovation ecosystem. Since its inception, more than 10,000 tinkering labs have been established in schools. As of now, 86 incubators and more than 4,000 start-ups are supported by AIM. The participation of women in R&D is also growing. There were 67,441 women scientists in 2020-21 as compared to 42,000 in 2014-15.

These are some examples of how the Modi government inculcated a culture of scientific innovation and entrepreneurship in India. Of course, the demands and aspirations of the society are going to grow significantly. The average R&D spend (as a percentage of turnover) by Indian industry is still lower than in developed countries and there is a significant gap in the participation of Indian women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Specific schemes have been launched by the government to address both issues.

In the last 10 years, the Indian mindset has become more entrepreneurial. India is not only among the largest consumers of the latest technologies but also an inventor of world-class, safe, secure and affordable technologies.

Vijay Chauthaiwale is in-charge, foreign affairs department of the BJP. The views expressed are personal