Lok Sabha Question No. 370 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Role of Private Sector in National Research Foundation
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Dushyant Singh, Shri Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *370 ANSWERED ON 26/03/2025

## ROLE OF PRIVATE SECTOR IN NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION

*370.  SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  set  up  a  National  Research Foundation  (NRF) to increase the  spending  on  Research  and Development (R&D) and to provide increasing role to private sector;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the steps taken by the Government to increase R&D outlook in the country to create a competitive R&D ecosystem; and
- (d) the other steps taken by the Government to increase participation of private sector in the research field?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी तथा पृ थ्िी विज्ञान मंत्रालय क े राज्य मंत्री ( स्ितंत्र प्रभार)

(डॉ. जितेंद्र स ंह)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT AS REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 370 FOR 26.03.2025 REGARDING ROLE OF PRIVATE SECTOR IN NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION

- (a) to (b): The government has established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) through ANRF Act of 2023, which was notified  in  February  2024.  The  establishment  of  the  ANRF  plays  a central  role  in  promoting  research  and  innovation  across  India's universities,  colleges,  research  institutions,  and  R&D  laboratories. ANRF  serves  as  an  apex  body  providing  high-level  guidance  for scientific research in the country, while also facilitating collaborations between industry, academia, government departments, and research institutions.

The ANRF aims to receive funds in the form of ANRF Fund, Innovation Fund,  Science  and  Engineering  Research  Fund,  Special  Purpose Funds. A budgetary   provision of Rs. 14,000 crore is made from the Central Government and remaining amount will be sourced through donations  from  any  other  source,  including  from  public  sector enterprises, the private sector, philanthropist organizations, foundations or recoveries made of the amounts granted to ANRF, any income from investment of the amounts received by ANRF and all amounts with the Fund for Science and Engineering Research under the repealed Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008.

- (c) To enhance the R&D landscape and foster a competitive research  ecosystem,  the  government  has  taken  several  strategic steps.

Under the newly formed ANRF, one of the key initiatives by ANRF is the Prime Minister's Early Career Research Grant (PM ECRG), which supports  young  researchers  starting  their  careers  by  providing flexible  budgets  and  progressive  initiatives  for  easier  research processes. This program aims to empower early-career scientists to undertake independent, impactful research.

ANRF has launched the EV-Mission program under the Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA). This initiative focuses on promoting  Research  &  Development  (R&D)  in  the  Electric  Vehicle (EV)  sector,  fostering  self-reliance  and  global  competitiveness  in India's EV ecosystem.

The Indian Government has pursued several Mission Mode interventions, aimed at cutting edge R&D and technology development  while  building  institutions  and  human  capital.  These

initiatives  have  sought  to  improve  the  collaboration  of  Industry, Government and Universities in the country.

Aspects  of  programmes  such  as  the  National  Super  Computing Mission,  the  National  Mission  for  Interdisciplinary  Cyber-Physical Systems, supporting deep-tech startups via Technology Innovation Hubs,  the  National  Quantum  Mission  for  advances  in  quantum computing, communications, sensing, & materials and devices , the National Biopharma Mission, the Atal Innovation Mission, Deep Ocean Mission,  India  Semiconductor  Mission,  National  Green  Hydrogen Mission to support Indian sustainable energy and the India AI Mission, aimed at technological and AI innovation, have also greatly advanced to create a competitive R&D ecosystem.

These, together with strong programs backing startups, entrepreneurs, and industries-like the DRDO's Technology Development  Fund  (TDF)  scheme  support  to  MSMEs  and  startups, iDEX  support  to  innovation  and  technology  development  in  India's aerospace and defense sectors, DST's National Initiative for Developing  and  Harnessing  Innovations  (NIDHI),  and  MeitY's  GenNext Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS) support to entrepreneurs in academia. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) also  supports  innovation-driven  research  through  various  flagship programs  like  the  Bioincubators  Nurturing  Entrepreneurship  for Scaling Technologies (BioNEST), DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance joint initiative, DBT- BIRAC- Gates Foundation Collaboration, Genome India Project, and Biomanufacturing Initiative, aimed at strengthening indigenous research capabilities, promoting translational research, and industry-academia collaboration support to setting up biotech incubators in academic and research institutions.

Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  has  been pursuing R&D activities through a thematic approach across project categories: CSIR-Fundamental Innovative Research for the Science of  Tomorrow  (CSIR-FIRST);  Focused  Basic  Research  (FBR);  Niche Creating  Projects  (NCP);  Fast  track  Translation  (FTT);  Fast  Track Commercialization (FTC); and Mission Mode Project (MMP). CSIR is deploying  its  knowledge  base/technologies  to  benefit  the  masses to through licensing/transfer of its knowledgebase/technology Industries.

R&D  in  Earth  System  Science  (RDESS)supports  proposals  from academic, research organizations, and universities in Earth System Science  to  enhance  our  understanding  of  the  atmosphere,  ocean,

solid  earth,  and  biosphere,  aligning  with  MoES's  national  goals.  It encourages  multi-disciplinary,  multi-institutional,  need-based,  and time-bound  projects,  with  deliverables  aimed  at  advancing  Earth System services (weather, climate, and marine) in the country.

As a result of these initiatives, India has emerged as the world's thirdlargest startup ecosystem. In terms of global innovation index, the country has jumped 42 places since 2015, reaching the 39 th  position.

- (d) The full-year Budget for 2024-25 declared that a mechanism  would  be  set  up  for  'spurring  private  sector-driven research and innovation at commercial scale with a financing pool of ₹1 lakh crore'. This was followed by specific allocation of Rs 20,000 Crore  in  the  Budget  2025-26,  to  'implement  private  sector  driven Research, Development and Innovation (RDI)' as part of the pool of ₹1 lakh crore.  The fund will encourage participation of private sector, in sunrise sectors, driving growth and innovation. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is the lead agency responsible for the RDI Scheme.

Recently, the ANRF has launched the EV-Mission program under the Mission for Advancement  in High-Impact Areas (MAHA). This initiative focuses on promoting Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption in India and  aims  to foster an ecosystem  of  self-reliance and  global competitiveness.  To  incentivize  private  sector  involvement,  the MAHA  EV-Mission  guidelines  require  the  active  participation  of industries, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and start-ups. Industry partners are expected to contribute at least 10% of the project cost, either in cash or kind (such as providing R&D facilities, vehicles, or systems  for  testing  and  validation).  This  collaborative  approach ensures that the private sector plays a crucial role in advancing EV research and development in India.

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