Private sector's role crucial for long-term innovation: Dr Jitendra Singh
New Delhi, April 9
Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Thursday called upon the private sector to step up participation in research and development, stressing that stronger industry engagement is key to building a robust innovation ecosystem in India.
The minister said the government has taken several enabling measures, including opening up sectors such as space and nuclear energy to private players and introducing mechanisms like the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund, but noted that industry must now respond with greater investment and collaboration.
Speaking at the release of two reports by NITI Aayog on easing R&D processes, Dr Singh said that reforms should focus not just on system design but on the actual experience of researchers.
Highlighting India's growing scientific capabilities, he said the country has abundant talent that is increasingly recognised globally, but institutional and procedural bottlenecks continue to affect outcomes.
At the same time, the minister flagged limited private sector participation in research funding and execution, saying government support alone cannot sustain long-term innovation.
He cited initiatives such as 'One Nation, One Subscription' for research journals as steps to improve access to knowledge, and stressed that streamlining routine processes like approvals, funding flows and administrative clearances can significantly enhance research productivity.
Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, said the initiative to ease R&D processes is based on long-standing demands from the scientific community to reduce administrative burden and improve efficiency.
The Principal Scientific Adviser Professor A.K. Sood said improving ease of doing R&D must remain an ongoing effort, pointing to issues such as low funding success rates, constraints in hiring and infrastructure, and the need for better coordination in implementation.
The reports by NITI Aayog, based on consultations with researchers, underline the need for greater flexibility, transparency and predictability in research systems to ensure continuity and confidence in scientific work.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a researcher in a government lab, I can confirm the bottlenecks are real. Funding delays and administrative paperwork eat up so much time. The 'One Nation, One Subscription' is a great step. Hope the private sector partnerships also bring faster, more agile processes.
Private sector will only invest if they see profit. The government needs to create more attractive schemes - maybe tax breaks for R&D spending? Also, we need to stop our best IIT/IIM grads from going abroad. Keep the talent here, innovation will follow.
While the intent is good, I'm skeptical. We've heard such calls before. The real issue is risk aversion in Indian boardrooms. R&D is a long-term game, but quarterly profits rule. Unless that mindset changes, collaboration will remain limited. Respectfully, the minister's speech needs concrete policy follow-through.
This is so important for our startups! Easier funding and clearances can help young innovators focus on building instead of running around government offices. Jai Hind! 🙏
Interesting to see India focusing on this. From an outside perspective, the talent pool is undeniable. If they can fix the "ease of doing R&D" as mentioned, it could become a global research hub. The private sector tie-up is key.
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