Government Strengthens Research and Development with Rs 20,000 Crore Boost

New Delhi, Mar 6 (KNN) Union Minister Jitendra Singh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making India an innovation hub, citing the Rs 20,000 crore allocation in the Budget 2025-26 for Research, Development, and Innovation.

Speaking at the Post Budget Webinar 2025 on “Investing in Innovation,” Singh emphasised that the funding will enhance research in the private sector, with a focus on sunrise industries.

He highlighted the government's efforts in deep-tech sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, 5G, and quantum computing.

The announcement builds on the Rs 1 lakh crore corpus introduced in the previous budget to accelerate R&D in the private sector.

Singh noted that patent grants have increased 17 times since 2014, and India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index has improved from 81st to 39th among 133 economies.

To further boost research talent, the government has tripled intake under the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Scheme.

The initiative, launched in 2018, has supported 3,688 scholars so far, with plans to expand to 10,000 fellowships in the next five years.

Singh also underscored the significance of geospatial technology, highlighting the National Geospatial Mission, which plays a crucial role in urban planning and disaster management.

Additionally, India’s agricultural security is being enhanced with the National Enlarged Gene Bank Replica, preserving over 4.7 lakh accessions of traditional crops.

The Gyan Bharatam Mission, aimed at digitising over one crore ancient manuscripts, was also announced to preserve India’s intellectual heritage.

Concluding his address, Singh reiterated that these initiatives align with the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision, emphasising the role of innovation in securing India’s future on the global stage.

(KNN Bureau)