NITI Aayog Unveils Blueprint to Boost India's Ease of Doing R&D

The reports provide a comprehensive assessment of India's research and development ecosystem and outline actionable recommendations to improve funding mechanisms, institutional governance, regulatory frameworks, and research translation. ​

The reports, which are being shared with relevant ministries and departments, underscore the need for a more trust‑based, outcome‑oriented, and facilitative environment to enable researchers and institutions to perform at their full potential.​

The reports are the outcome of an extensive exercise conducted over approximately 9 months, involving outreach to more than 400 institutional leaders and insights from over 850 distinguished scientists and researchers across the country, according to a NITI Aayog statement.​

The reports were formally released by Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, and the Chief Guest Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology, in the presence of senior officials and representatives from academia and industry.​

Addressing the gathering, Jitendra Singh emphasised that the report is grounded in evidence and reflects the realities of the research ecosystem.

He noted that research flourishes in an environment free of impediments and highlighted India's strong human resource base. ​

He also called for greater private-sector participation, including through corporate social responsibility initiatives, to support and sustain research and innovation, particularly in emerging areas and startups.​

Suman Bery highlighted that translating research into practical applications remains a key priority. ​

He emphasised the need for institutional structures for mission‑mode research and development, including enhanced participation of the private sector. ​

He further noted that as research increasingly spans multiple domains, the need for flexible, responsive systems becomes more evident, as rigid structures can limit collaboration while adaptable frameworks can open new avenues of inquiry. ​

He called for treating this report as a guidance document for improving the country's overall research and development ecosystem.​

The event commenced with a welcome address and a presentation by Prof. Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser at NITI Aayog, who provided an overview of the report's objectives, methodology, and key findings. ​

He highlighted that the report identifies challenges across multiple thematic areas and puts forward actionable recommendations based on an evidence‑driven process that includes nationwide surveys, stakeholder consultations, and regional consultative meetings.​

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, noted that improving the ease of doing research and development is a continuous process and stressed the importance of implementing the report's recommendations, with the report serving as a dynamic working document.​

V. K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, highlighted the diversity of institutional contexts in which research is conducted across India, while noting a strong consistency in the challenges faced by researchers. ​

He emphasised that these challenges span both internal institutional processes and external ecosystem factors, including funding architectures, policy frameworks, and regulatory systems.​

- IANS