India’s research base saw a total transformation over the last decade through new institutional architecture. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation now funds research across universities and labs. Meanwhile, the Rs 1 lakh crore RDI Fund helps bridge financing gaps. Many initiatives also support women in science and boost private participation.
During the last decade, a total transformation of the institutional architecture of India’s research base has been initiated. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) funds new research across universities, colleges and R&D labs while encouraging collaboration amongst academia, industry and government.
The Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, on the other hand, addresses a more difficult problem — the “valley of death”, where technologies need pilot-scale demonstration and productisation just as risk and capital requirements rise sharply. The Rs 1 lakh crore RDI Fund represents a significant step towards addressing this financing gap and providing the patient, risk-tolerant capital that cutting-edge innovation requires.
In his 77th Independence Day address in 2023, recalling an interaction during a foreign visit, PM Modi noted that when asked whether Indian girls pursued science and engineering, he responded: “Today in my country more daughters than boys are taking up STEM.” Initiatives such as Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)–KIRAN, Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) and Vigyan Jyoti have sought to create greater opportunities for women across the scientific and technological ecosystem.
Another pivotal step has been the transition towards building mission-mode capabilities around specific sectoral priorities for the country. The National Quantum Mission spans the full quantum stack, ranging from computing and communication to sensing, metrology, materials and devices, and supports research groups and start-up spin-offs. The IndiaAI Mission applies the same ecosystem logic to artificial intelligence, covering compute, datasets, skilling, foundational models and responsible AI. The Indian Semiconductor Mission has approved 10 projects across six states, including two fabs and eight packaging units, with Semicon 2.0 now pushing further into equipment and materials, indigenous IP, industry-led R&D and talent development.
Biotechnology is following a similar trajectory. The BioE3 Policy provides a broad foundation spanning bio-based chemicals and enzymes to precision biotherapeutics and space biotech. The bio-economy has grown rapidly from about $10 billion in 2014 to roughly $195.3 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $300 billion by 2030. The Deep Ocean Mission and Mission Mausam extend the same integrated-ecosystem approach into resource and climate security.
The Indian Space Policy, 2023 and the establishment of IN-SPACe have opened the space sector to private participation across launch services, satellite manufacturing and downstream applications, with more than 400 space start-ups now operating within the ecosystem. Nuclear energy has also seen a similar opening, with the SHANTI Act providing a legal framework for private-sector participation, subject to licensing, safety and regulatory requirements.
India’s digital public infrastructure has been built over the decade around the JAM trinity of Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar, and mobile connectivity, and expanded through UPI, DigiLocker, Account Aggregator, and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission. In agriculture, satellites, drones, remote sensing, GIS, and AI are increasingly used to monitor crops, enable precision farming, estimate yields, and provide farmer advisories.
India’s start-up ecosystem has also expanded rapidly during the last few years. Startup India, launched in 2016, put entrepreneurship at the core of the national development agenda. India is now the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, with more than 2 lakh registered start-ups and over 130 unicorns. A wide range of schemes, such as the Seed Fund, Fund of Funds, Credit Guarantee Scheme, Atal Innovation Mission, NIDHI, BioNEST, iDEX, etc., launched since 2016 have strengthened access to incubation, mentoring, finance and markets. Under Modi 3.0, the focus has now sharpened towards emerging technologies.
As PM Modi stated, “The arms of science, technology and innovation must reach the poorest, the remotest and the most vulnerable person.” The vision of science serving society lays a stronger foundation for India’s aspirations, and as India moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047, the spirit of “Jai vigyan, jai anusandhan” captures this continuing commitment to scientific progress and innovation.
The writer is member, NITI Aayog and former secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India