GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3884
ANSWERED ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2026/ PHALGUNA 25, 1947 (SAKA)
National R&D Expenditure and Intellectual Property Reforms
3884. Shri E T Mohammed Basheer:
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) the Government’s medium-term roadmap to enhance national Research and...
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3884 ANSWERED ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2026/ PHALGUNA 25, 1947 (SAKA) National R&D Expenditure and Intellectual Property Reforms
3884. Shri E T Mohammed Basheer:
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) the Government’s medium-term roadmap to enhance national Research and Development (R&D) expenditure from 0.65 per cent of GDP closer to the global average; and
(b) whether the Government is considering intellectual property enforcement reforms to incentivise greater private sector participation in R&D, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (FINANCE) (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)
(a)&(b): To enhance India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) from the current level of around 0.65% of GDP towards the global average, the Government has adopted a medium-term strategy aimed at strengthening the national research and innovation ecosystem. The approach focuses on improving research infrastructure, promoting industry– academia collaboration, and increasing private sector participation in research and innovation.
In this context, the Government launched the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme on 3 November 2025, with a total outlay of ₹1 lakh crore over six years, to incentivise greater private sector investment in R&D. Further, the Government has approved the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) as a Central Sector Scheme to strengthen India’s research and innovation ecosystem. The foundation aims to promote industry–academia collaboration, support translational research, and mobilise additional resources from industry, public sector enterprises, philanthropic organisations, and other stakeholders. In addition, several intellectual property (IP) reforms have been undertaken to encourage innovation. These include simplifying compliance procedures, reducing timelines for IP filing and disposal, and providing fee rebates for startups, MSMEs, and educational institutions, thereby incentivising greater private participation in research and development.
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