Private Sector Participation Key to Strengthening R&D: Jitendra Singh
Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, on Thursday called on the private sector to accelerate its participation in research and development (R&D), stating that greater industry engagement is essential to strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem.
Speaking at the release of two reports by NITI Aayog on easing R&D processes, the Minister said the government has taken several enabling steps, including opening sectors such as space and nuclear energy to private players and introducing mechanisms like the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund.
He said the focus must now shift towards improving the on-ground experience of researchers by addressing procedural bottlenecks, enhancing access to funding and encouraging greater private investment.
“There is no denying that research can flourish only when there are no impediments and avoidable delays,” Dr. Singh said, adding that systemic issues must be addressed to prevent disruptions in research activity.
The Minister noted that while India has a strong pool of scientific talent, institutional and administrative constraints continue to affect outcomes. He also pointed to the evolving nature of research, which increasingly requires collaboration between academia, industry and global partners.
Highlighting the limited role of private industry in research funding, Dr. Singh said government support alone would not be sufficient to sustain long-term innovation. He called for a stronger culture of corporate participation and philanthropy in R&D.
He also cited initiatives such as “One Nation, One Subscription” for research journals as steps aimed at improving access to knowledge, while stressing that streamlining approvals, funding flows and administrative processes could significantly enhance research productivity.
Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Suman Bery said the initiative to ease R&D processes is based on inputs from the scientific community and aims to reduce administrative burdens and improve system efficiency.
NITI Aayog Member V. K. Saraswat said India’s research ecosystem is at a transitional stage and requires reforms to address funding delays, compliance burdens and weak industry linkages.
Principal Scientific Adviser A. K. Sood underlined the need for continuous efforts to improve the ease of doing research, pointing to issues such as low funding success rates and infrastructure constraints.
The reports released by NITI Aayog draw on consultations with researchers and call for greater flexibility, transparency and predictability in research systems.
Dr. Singh said strengthening India’s research ecosystem would require coordinated efforts from government, industry and institutions, adding that broader stakeholder participation is essential to translate research into scalable technologies and real-world applications.
