The balance of research and development funding has shifted, with government and private industry now investing nearly the same amount. In recent years, private sector contributions to research have seen a notable rise. Government spending is concentrated on sectors deemed strategic and beneficial to the public. Additionally, multinational corporations are increasingly influential in shaping India’s research environment, although the overall research intensity still lags behind other major economies. BENGALURU: For every Rs 100 spent on R&D, the govt contributes about Rs 48 while private industry accounts for Rs 45, latest data from R&D Statistics At a Glance 2025-26 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), shows.The remaining Rs 7 comes from scientific and industrial research organisations (SIROs) and private higher education institutions.India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) breached Rs 2.4-lakh crore in 2023-24, more than three times the Rs 79,356 crore recorded a decade ago. However, overall R&D spend is still under 1% of the GDP, touching 0.8%, as per the latest figures.Private industry’s share in GERD increased from 39.7% in 2020-21 to 45.2% in 2023-24 in just three years. During the same period, govt share declined from 54.5% to 48.2%, although it continues to remain the country’s single largest contributor to research spending.The report notes that private R&D expenditure has been growing at an average annual rate of around 20% over the last three years.While the DST report’s detailed analysis is up to 2023-24, it has projected overall trends for two more years: “The upward [spending] trend is expected to continue, with GERD projected to reach nearly Rs 2.8-lakh-crore by 2024-25 and more than Rs 3.1-lakh-crore crore by 2025–26,” it reads.Govt spending continues to be concentrated in strategic and public-interest sectors. Among the Centre’s scientific agencies, DRDO accounted for 32.7%, followed by the Department of Space (15%), Department of Atomic Energy (14.4%), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (13.1%) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (8.7%). Together, 12 major scientific agencies accounted for 76% of govt R&D spend.Transportation emerged as the biggest destination for industrial R&D, accounting for 32.6% of private sector expenditure, followed by pharmaceuticals (21.4%), biotechnology (8.6%), IT (7.9%) and electrical and electronics (5.9%).The report also highlights the growing role of MNCs in India’s research landscape. Their share in business R&D expenditure has increased from 49.9% in 2020-21 to 71.3% in 2023-24. According to the report, the growth rate of R&D expenditure has outpaced GDP growth after 2021-22, except in 2022-23, reflecting the increasing priority accorded to research and innovation.Despite the encouraging trends, India continues to trail many major economies in research intensity. At 0.8% of GDP, the country’s R&D expenditure remains below that of China (2.6%), Brazil (1.2%) and several advanced economies that invest more than 2% of their GDP in research.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesNevertheless, the latest figures point to a maturing innovation ecosystem where the burden of financing research is gradually shifting from being overwhelmingly government-led to one in which private enterprise is emerging as an almost equal partner.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorChethan KumarChethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India. Aside from specialising in Space & Science, he has reported extensively on varied topics, with special focus on defence, policy and data stories. He has covered multiple elections, too. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, Chethan feels, there are reels of tales emerging which need to be captured. To do this, he alternates between the mundane goings-on of the Common Man and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and soldiers. In a career spanning nearly 18 years, he has reported from multiple datelines — Houston, Florida, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Sriharikota (AP), NH-1 (J&K Highway), New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Raichur, Bhatkal, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, to name a few — but is based out of Bengaluru, India’s science capital that also hosts the ISRO HQ.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSecurity On High Alert: Pak Drone Sighted In Jammu On Eve Of Article 370 Abrogation AnniversaryNot A Single Woman In Karnataka Cabinet? Congress Faces Tough QuestionsExplained: Why Jharkhand Students Are Distancing Their JPSC Protest From The Jantar Mantar AgitationGovernment Proposes V2V Technology To Enable Real-Time Vehicle Communication For Better Road Safety’Cannot Tear Open My Chest’: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s First Reaction To JPSC Student Protest’Thought We Would Die’: Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Hit By Violent Turbulence, Several InjuredNHAI Forced Into U-Turn After Posting Wrong Pic Of Rajasthan’s NH-25; Project Director SuspendedUdhayanidhi Stalin Released Hours After Arrest Over ‘Double Meaning’ RemarkSC Extends Section 498A Protection To Women In Marriage-Like Live-In RelationshipsWhatsApp Puts Multiple Accounts Under Review, Users Locked Out As Company Admits Mistakes Can Happen123PhotostoriesThe first date was amazing. So why wasn’t there a second? 9 reasons it happens more often than you think12 dhaba-style potato dishes that are perfect for lunch and dinnerWant siblings who stay close for life? These everyday parenting habits can make all the difference10 baby boy names inspired by kings and royaltyTamannaah Bhatia turns heads with 3 dramatically different looksBleeding gums may be warning you about more than your teeth: Doctor explains the link to heart disease, stroke and diabetesOptical illusion brain teaser: You might be a record breaker if you spot the ‘blue-eyed fox’ among the browns in this jungleThe way you react today becomes your child’s inner voice tomorrow: 7 everyday moments that shape your child’s future more than any parenting advice ever could13 iconic ice creams from around the world every dessert lover should tryHow to talk to toddlers to nurture intelligence: Science-backed tips123Hot PicksCJP nationwide tourGold Rate TodayMJPRU resultBSE SensexRBI FD ruleManmohan Singh LiberhanKarnataka cabinet expansionUdhayanidhi StalinD Y PatilTop TrendingFaridabad MurderUdhayanidhi StalinPanchkula Army Captain Wife DeathPappu Yadav Slipper AttackPM ModiKarnataka Cabinet ExpansionTrisha KrishnanD Y Patil DeathBypoll Election Result 2026Shradha Singh
![The balance of research and development funding has shifted, with government and private industry now investing nearly the same amount. In recent years, private sector contributions to research have seen a notable rise. Government spending is concentrated on sectors deemed strategic and beneficial to the public. Additionally, multinational corporations are increasingly influential in shaping India’s research environment, although the overall research intensity still lags behind other major economies. BENGALURU: For every Rs 100 spent on R&D, the govt contributes about Rs 48 while private industry accounts for Rs 45, latest data from R&D Statistics At a Glance 2025-26 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), shows.The remaining Rs 7 comes from scientific and industrial research organisations (SIROs) and private higher education institutions.India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) breached Rs 2.4-lakh crore in 2023-24, more than three times the Rs 79,356 crore recorded a decade ago. However, overall R&D spend is still under 1% of the GDP, touching 0.8%, as per the latest figures.Private industry’s share in GERD increased from 39.7% in 2020-21 to 45.2% in 2023-24 in just three years. During the same period, govt share declined from 54.5% to 48.2%, although it continues to remain the country’s single largest contributor to research spending.The report notes that private R&D expenditure has been growing at an average annual rate of around 20% over the last three years.While the DST report’s detailed analysis is up to 2023-24, it has projected overall trends for two more years: “The upward [spending] trend is expected to continue, with GERD projected to reach nearly Rs 2.8-lakh-crore by 2024-25 and more than Rs 3.1-lakh-crore crore by 2025–26,” it reads.Govt spending continues to be concentrated in strategic and public-interest sectors. Among the Centre’s scientific agencies, DRDO accounted for 32.7%, followed by the Department of Space (15%), Department of Atomic Energy (14.4%), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (13.1%) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (8.7%). Together, 12 major scientific agencies accounted for 76% of govt R&D spend.Transportation emerged as the biggest destination for industrial R&D, accounting for 32.6% of private sector expenditure, followed by pharmaceuticals (21.4%), biotechnology (8.6%), IT (7.9%) and electrical and electronics (5.9%).The report also highlights the growing role of MNCs in India’s research landscape. Their share in business R&D expenditure has increased from 49.9% in 2020-21 to 71.3% in 2023-24. According to the report, the growth rate of R&D expenditure has outpaced GDP growth after 2021-22, except in 2022-23, reflecting the increasing priority accorded to research and innovation.Despite the encouraging trends, India continues to trail many major economies in research intensity. At 0.8% of GDP, the country’s R&D expenditure remains below that of China (2.6%), Brazil (1.2%) and several advanced economies that invest more than 2% of their GDP in research.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesNevertheless, the latest figures point to a maturing innovation ecosystem where the burden of financing research is gradually shifting from being overwhelmingly government-led to one in which private enterprise is emerging as an almost equal partner.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorChethan KumarChethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India. Aside from specialising in Space & Science, he has reported extensively on varied topics, with special focus on defence, policy and data stories. He has covered multiple elections, too. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, Chethan feels, there are reels of tales emerging which need to be captured. To do this, he alternates between the mundane goings-on of the Common Man and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and soldiers. In a career spanning nearly 18 years, he has reported from multiple datelines — Houston, Florida, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Sriharikota (AP), NH-1 (J&K Highway), New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Raichur, Bhatkal, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, to name a few — but is based out of Bengaluru, India’s science capital that also hosts the ISRO HQ.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSecurity On High Alert: Pak Drone Sighted In Jammu On Eve Of Article 370 Abrogation AnniversaryNot A Single Woman In Karnataka Cabinet? Congress Faces Tough QuestionsExplained: Why Jharkhand Students Are Distancing Their JPSC Protest From The Jantar Mantar AgitationGovernment Proposes V2V Technology To Enable Real-Time Vehicle Communication For Better Road Safety’Cannot Tear Open My Chest’: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s First Reaction To JPSC Student Protest’Thought We Would Die’: Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Hit By Violent Turbulence, Several InjuredNHAI Forced Into U-Turn After Posting Wrong Pic Of Rajasthan’s NH-25; Project Director SuspendedUdhayanidhi Stalin Released Hours After Arrest Over ‘Double Meaning’ RemarkSC Extends Section 498A Protection To Women In Marriage-Like Live-In RelationshipsWhatsApp Puts Multiple Accounts Under Review, Users Locked Out As Company Admits Mistakes Can Happen123PhotostoriesThe first date was amazing. So why wasn’t there a second? 9 reasons it happens more often than you think12 dhaba-style potato dishes that are perfect for lunch and dinnerWant siblings who stay close for life? These everyday parenting habits can make all the difference10 baby boy names inspired by kings and royaltyTamannaah Bhatia turns heads with 3 dramatically different looksBleeding gums may be warning you about more than your teeth: Doctor explains the link to heart disease, stroke and diabetesOptical illusion brain teaser: You might be a record breaker if you spot the ‘blue-eyed fox’ among the browns in this jungleThe way you react today becomes your child’s inner voice tomorrow: 7 everyday moments that shape your child’s future more than any parenting advice ever could13 iconic ice creams from around the world every dessert lover should tryHow to talk to toddlers to nurture intelligence: Science-backed tips123Hot PicksCJP nationwide tourGold Rate TodayMJPRU resultBSE SensexRBI FD ruleManmohan Singh LiberhanKarnataka cabinet expansionUdhayanidhi StalinD Y PatilTop TrendingFaridabad MurderUdhayanidhi StalinPanchkula Army Captain Wife DeathPappu Yadav Slipper AttackPM ModiKarnataka Cabinet ExpansionTrisha KrishnanD Y Patil DeathBypoll Election Result 2026Shradha Singh](https://vknewstoday.in/wp-content/uploads/1785877413_photo.jpg "The balance of research and development funding has shifted, with government and private industry now investing nearly the same amount. In recent years, private sector contributions to research have seen a notable rise. Government spending is concentrated on sectors deemed strategic and beneficial to the public. Additionally, multinational corporations are increasingly influential in shaping India’s research environment, although the overall research intensity still lags behind other major economies. BENGALURU: For every Rs 100 spent on R&D, the govt contributes about Rs 48 while private industry accounts for Rs 45, latest data from R&D Statistics At a Glance 2025-26 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), shows.The remaining Rs 7 comes from scientific and industrial research organisations (SIROs) and private higher education institutions.India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) breached Rs 2.4-lakh crore in 2023-24, more than three times the Rs 79,356 crore recorded a decade ago. However, overall R&D spend is still under 1% of the GDP, touching 0.8%, as per the latest figures.Private industry’s share in GERD increased from 39.7% in 2020-21 to 45.2% in 2023-24 in just three years. During the same period, govt share declined from 54.5% to 48.2%, although it continues to remain the country’s single largest contributor to research spending.The report notes that private R&D expenditure has been growing at an average annual rate of around 20% over the last three years.While the DST report’s detailed analysis is up to 2023-24, it has projected overall trends for two more years: “The upward [spending] trend is expected to continue, with GERD projected to reach nearly Rs 2.8-lakh-crore by 2024-25 and more than Rs 3.1-lakh-crore crore by 2025–26,” it reads.Govt spending continues to be concentrated in strategic and public-interest sectors. Among the Centre’s scientific agencies, DRDO accounted for 32.7%, followed by the Department of Space (15%), Department of Atomic Energy (14.4%), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (13.1%) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (8.7%). Together, 12 major scientific agencies accounted for 76% of govt R&D spend.Transportation emerged as the biggest destination for industrial R&D, accounting for 32.6% of private sector expenditure, followed by pharmaceuticals (21.4%), biotechnology (8.6%), IT (7.9%) and electrical and electronics (5.9%).The report also highlights the growing role of MNCs in India’s research landscape. Their share in business R&D expenditure has increased from 49.9% in 2020-21 to 71.3% in 2023-24. According to the report, the growth rate of R&D expenditure has outpaced GDP growth after 2021-22, except in 2022-23, reflecting the increasing priority accorded to research and innovation.Despite the encouraging trends, India continues to trail many major economies in research intensity. At 0.8% of GDP, the country’s R&D expenditure remains below that of China (2.6%), Brazil (1.2%) and several advanced economies that invest more than 2% of their GDP in research.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesNevertheless, the latest figures point to a maturing innovation ecosystem where the burden of financing research is gradually shifting from being overwhelmingly government-led to one in which private enterprise is emerging as an almost equal partner.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorChethan KumarChethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India. Aside from specialising in Space & Science, he has reported extensively on varied topics, with special focus on defence, policy and data stories. He has covered multiple elections, too. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, Chethan feels, there are reels of tales emerging which need to be captured. To do this, he alternates between the mundane goings-on of the Common Man and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and soldiers. In a career spanning nearly 18 years, he has reported from multiple datelines — Houston, Florida, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Sriharikota (AP), NH-1 (J&K Highway), New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Raichur, Bhatkal, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, to name a few — but is based out of Bengaluru, India’s science capital that also hosts the ISRO HQ.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSecurity On High Alert: Pak Drone Sighted In Jammu On Eve Of Article 370 Abrogation AnniversaryNot A Single Woman In Karnataka Cabinet? Congress Faces Tough QuestionsExplained: Why Jharkhand Students Are Distancing Their JPSC Protest From The Jantar Mantar AgitationGovernment Proposes V2V Technology To Enable Real-Time Vehicle Communication For Better Road Safety’Cannot Tear Open My Chest’: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s First Reaction To JPSC Student Protest’Thought We Would Die’: Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Hit By Violent Turbulence, Several InjuredNHAI Forced Into U-Turn After Posting Wrong Pic Of Rajasthan’s NH-25; Project Director SuspendedUdhayanidhi Stalin Released Hours After Arrest Over ‘Double Meaning’ RemarkSC Extends Section 498A Protection To Women In Marriage-Like Live-In RelationshipsWhatsApp Puts Multiple Accounts Under Review, Users Locked Out As Company Admits Mistakes Can Happen123PhotostoriesThe first date was amazing. So why wasn’t there a second? 9 reasons it happens more often than you think12 dhaba-style potato dishes that are perfect for lunch and dinnerWant siblings who stay close for life? These everyday parenting habits can make all the difference10 baby boy names inspired by kings and royaltyTamannaah Bhatia turns heads with 3 dramatically different looksBleeding gums may be warning you about more than your teeth: Doctor explains the link to heart disease, stroke and diabetesOptical illusion brain teaser: You might be a record breaker if you spot the ‘blue-eyed fox’ among the browns in this jungleThe way you react today becomes your child’s inner voice tomorrow: 7 everyday moments that shape your child’s future more than any parenting advice ever could13 iconic ice creams from around the world every dessert lover should tryHow to talk to toddlers to nurture intelligence: Science-backed tips123Hot PicksCJP nationwide tourGold Rate TodayMJPRU resultBSE SensexRBI FD ruleManmohan Singh LiberhanKarnataka cabinet expansionUdhayanidhi StalinD Y PatilTop TrendingFaridabad MurderUdhayanidhi StalinPanchkula Army Captain Wife DeathPappu Yadav Slipper AttackPM ModiKarnataka Cabinet ExpansionTrisha KrishnanD Y Patil DeathBypoll Election Result 2026Shradha Singh")
BENGALURU: For every Rs 100 spent on R&D, the govt contributes about Rs 48 while private industry accounts for Rs 45, latest data from R&D Statistics At a Glance 2025-26 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), shows.The remaining Rs 7 comes from scientific and industrial research organisations (SIROs) and private higher education institutions.India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) breached Rs 2.4-lakh crore in 2023-24, more than three times the Rs 79,356 crore recorded a decade ago. However, overall R&D spend is still under 1% of the GDP, touching 0.8%, as per the latest figures.Private industry’s share in GERD increased from 39.7% in 2020-21 to 45.2% in 2023-24 in just three years. During the same period, govt share declined from 54.5% to 48.2%, although it continues to remain the country’s single largest contributor to research spending.The report notes that private R&D expenditure has been growing at an average annual rate of around 20% over the last three years.While the DST report’s detailed analysis is up to 2023-24, it has projected overall trends for two more years: “The upward [spending] trend is expected to continue, with GERD projected to reach nearly Rs 2.8-lakh-crore by 2024-25 and more than Rs 3.1-lakh-crore crore by 2025–26,” it reads.Govt spending continues to be concentrated in strategic and public-interest sectors. Among the Centre’s scientific agencies, DRDO accounted for 32.7%, followed by the Department of Space (15%), Department of Atomic Energy (14.4%), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (13.1%) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (8.7%). Together, 12 major scientific agencies accounted for 76% of govt R&D spend.Transportation emerged as the biggest destination for industrial R&D, accounting for 32.6% of private sector expenditure, followed by pharmaceuticals (21.4%), biotechnology (8.6%), IT (7.9%) and electrical and electronics (5.9%).The report also highlights the growing role of MNCs in India’s research landscape. Their share in business R&D expenditure has increased from 49.9% in 2020-21 to 71.3% in 2023-24. According to the report, the growth rate of R&D expenditure has outpaced GDP growth after 2021-22, except in 2022-23, reflecting the increasing priority accorded to research and innovation.Despite the encouraging trends, India continues to trail many major economies in research intensity. At 0.8% of GDP, the country’s R&D expenditure remains below that of China (2.6%), Brazil (1.2%) and several advanced economies that invest more than 2% of their GDP in research.
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Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
Nevertheless, the latest figures point to a maturing innovation ecosystem where the burden of financing research is gradually shifting from being overwhelmingly government-led to one in which private enterprise is emerging as an almost equal partner.
