India's Innovation Landscape: Balancing Ambition With Action

According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), these cities now rank among the top 100 science and technology (S&T) clusters globally. 

S&T clusters are geographic areas with high concentration of inventors and scientific authors, identified through the analysis of patent filings and scientific publications.

Bengaluru holds the 56th spot, boasting 4,654 patent applications and 16,029 scientific publications between 2018 and 2022. Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai follow at 63rd, 71st, and 91st respectively. 

While these achievements highlight India's growing contributions to the global innovation ecosystem, significant challenges remain. 

India's Patent Struggles: Backlogs, Gender Gaps

Despite rising to 39th place in the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII), from 81st in 2015, India still faces a considerable gap compared to leading innovation economies. India’s patent system has grown exponentially, with total applications increasing from 42,951 in 2013 (IPO Annual Report 2017-18) to 90,300 in 2023. 

But on the other side, by March 2023, nearly 1.67 lakh patent cases were pending at the controller level, with average processing delays exceeding 24 months.

This backlog gags innovation and dilutes intellectual property protection, which translates to delay in the fruits of new ideas. As much as the number of patent grants has increased from 5,978 in 2014 to an all-time high of 1,03,057 in 2023, the system is already feeling the strain.

Amid the strain, though, an encouraging factor has emerged — growing women's participation in patent filings.

In the past year, from 2022 to 2023, the percentage of female patent applicants had risen from 10.2 per cent to 11.6 per cent. This is still much lower than the international average of 17.1 per cent, though, and indicates that the gender gap in innovation may not be resolved easily. 

The disparity can be attributed to a range of systemic barriers, from gender bias in research and innovation settings and restricted access to resources and funding for female inventors, to lack of representation and mentorship for women in STEM disciplines. 

Additionally, there are societal norms and expectations that prevent women from opting for careers in technology and innovation. Having gender equity in fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and biotechnology helps bring about holistic views while coming up with solutions.

R&D Lag Vs Startup Surge

One major area of concern is that India's investment in research and development (R&D) is relatively low. In comparison, South Korea and the USA had earmarked 5.2 per cent and 3.4 per cent of their GDP, respectively, for R&D in 2022, while Indian public expenditure in R&D stood at a mere 0.65 per cent.

India’s burgeoning startup ecosystem, though, provides hope. Experts predict that the country could host as many as 152 unicorn startups valued at over $1 billion within the next 3-5 years. 

Efforts such as the Rs 20,000 crore ($2.5 billion) earmarked for the Atal Innovation Mission, India's flagship initiative aimed at fostering a nationwide culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, are laudable. 

However, there's still much to be done when it comes to ease of doing business in India. While India ranks 63rd out of 190 countries, having improved from a ranking of 142 in 2014, bureaucratic red tape remains the largest obstacle for entrepreneurs. A simplification of regulatory barriers is necessary for building an innovation-friendly environment.

Boost For Science, Space, Innovation

Turning to the budgetary landscape shows a substantial commitment to science and technology in the Union Budget 2024-25, with an allocation of Rs 16,628 crore. This includes Rs 8,029 crore for the Department of Science and Technology, Rs 6,323 crore for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Rs 2,276 crore for the Department of Biotechnology and Rs 13,042 crore for the Department of Space. 

An additional Rs 2,000 crore has been set aside for the National Research Foundation (NRF), a self-governing institution meant to integrate research efforts throughout India. But this does not guarantee that the research will turn into market-ready products.

The establishment of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is another encouraging development, poised to receive Rs 50,000 crore over a period of five years, to facilitate collaboration among industry, academia and government.

Agriculture, nuclear energy and space are some areas expected to expand, with areas like India’s space economy poised to grow five-fold by the next decade, while small, modular nuclear reactors get promoted as harbingers of clean energy.

Transforming Education For An Innovation Ecosystem

There is also a need for change in the education system and enhanced information technology support. 

The government plans to establish 50 new research institutes by 2025 as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education — which tracks the percentage of a population enrolled at a specific educational level — to 50 per cent by 2035.
 
However, there is still the issue of integration of these efforts in conformity with global standards of innovation and research.

India is most assuredly on the right track in its attempt to emerge as a global centre for innovation. However, it still has a long way to go. For India to take the lead in innovation, it needs to increase investments in intellectual property, promote women inventors, adapt open access technologies, curb brain drain and foster more public-private partnerships in innovation. 

India's envisaged paradigm shift into an innovation hub will necessitate major institutional reforms that are inclusive and convert research funding into real economic and developmental benefits. Its future as a global innovation leader will depend not just on optimism, but on the hard work and determination needed to overcome the challenges ahead. And it has to be inclusive, sustainable and impactful, ensuring that its journey to leadership is one of shared progress and lasting success.

 

(The author is programme coordinator, Law & Critical Emerging Technologies, Advanced Study Institute of Asia. Views are personal)