Research ecosystem within Indian higher-education sector

Collaboration, funding and policy reform would boost innovation in the research ecosystem. 

In brief

• India’s research ecosystem is fragmented and has limited collaboration among academia, industry, and government.
• Low R&D spending (0.65% of GDP) and insufficient corporate investment hinder research infrastructure and quality.
• Increasing industry-academia partnerships and improving the regulatory landscape, including intellectual property laws, are essential for fostering innovation and boosting research quality across all institutions.
• A multifaceted approach involving academia, industry, and government is needed to transform India into a globally competitive research hub, with stronger industry links, better funding and international collaborations.

India’s higher education institutions stand at a crossroads, with research emerging as a critical area for progress. The landscape is defined by both challenges and opportunities, as the country seeks to strengthen its position in global research. The importance of a robust research ecosystem cannot be overstated. Research is critical for driving technological advancements, economic growth and addressing global challenges. However, the research ecosystem in India currently is fragmented, with limited collaboration between academia, industry, and the government, hindering cross-disciplinary research. The focus therefore rests on addressing systemic issues while fostering an environment conducive to innovation, collaboration, and long-term research excellence.

Current research landscape

A key factor in India's lagging research output is the low level of research and development (R&D) spending, which accounts for just 0.65% of the country’s GDP. This figure is significantly lower than that of developed countries, where research investments often exceed 2% of GDP. The situation is compounded by insufficient corporate R&D expenditure, which contributes to only 41% of India’s total GERD (Gross Expenditure on Research and Development). With limited funds flowing into the sector, research infrastructure in India remains underdeveloped, affecting the overall quality and impact of research.

The country ranks fourth globally in the number of research publications. However, it still lags in quality indicators such as the H-index and citations per paper, suggesting that while the volume of research is high, its impact remains limited. India has been doing well in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. These fields have flourished due to a relatively lower dependence on physical research infrastructure, showing the glimpse of India’s potential to be a global leader in targeted research areas.

Key challenges and recommendations

Our five-pillar strategic framework developed—Monetary, Operational, Policy, Personnel, and Innovation—is key to addressing the challenges and providing action-oriented recommendations to overcome them.

Motivating faculty and students to engage in academic research in India remains a persistent issue. Without strong incentives, research output continues to fall short of global standards. Meanwhile, funding for institutes, particularly from industry and consultancy, is lower than what is seen at international counterparts. Internationalization, though encouraged by NEP 2020, is still in its infancy, with only top-tier institutions benefiting from cross-border collaborations.

A brighter spot in this landscape is the gradual increase in industry-academia partnerships. Collaboration between industry and academia is vital for fostering innovation and ensuring that research outcomes have real-world applications. However, Tier 2 and Tier 3 education institutions continue to struggle to establish meaningful industry linkages. Strengthening these partnerships across all tiers of HEIs is critical to developing a higher education ecosystem in India that caters to both academic inquiry and industry needs.

The regulatory framework in India has also been evolving to support research and innovation. Initiatives like NEP 2020 and the establishment of the National Research Foundation (NRF) are steps toward creating a more research-friendly environment. However, there are still gaps in intellectual property rights (IPR) laws, patent procedures and the overall regulatory landscape. Streamlining these processes and reforming the regulatory landscape is essential to promoting robust research collaboration in India.

Addressing these challenges requires concerted action across multiple dimensions—academia, industry, and government. We recommend that academia must focus on restructuring curricula to incentivize research, providing quality-focused grants, and integrating interdisciplinary projects into educational programs. Industry needs to increase its R&D spending through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and create stronger links with higher education institutions. The government, for its part, must ensure equitable research funding for all institutions, not just the top-ranked ones, and improve the IPR process to encourage innovation.

India stands at a pivotal moment in its journey to becoming a global research leader. By addressing the challenges and implementing the recommendations, India can transform its research sector into a dynamic, globally competitive ecosystem that contributes significantly to the global knowledge economy. The task now is to translate these findings into actionable strategies that will drive India’s research industry forward, creating lasting impact. By focusing on actionable pathways, India can close the gap with global research leaders and contribute significantly to the global innovation landscape.