Lok Sabha Question No. 6107 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: Transparency and Disclosure Standards for Research & Development
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Shri Ganesh Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6107

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2026

## TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE STANDARDS FOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

## 6107. SHRI GANESH SINGH:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has examined the need for introducing a  structured  or  mandatory  disclosure  framework  for  corporate Research  and  Development  (R&D)  expenditure  and  innovation outcomes in the country to improve transparency and investment efficiency and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  comparatively  low R&D  intensity  of  country's  corporate  sector  and  the  factors responsible for limited private investment in innovation and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  in  consultation  with  Securities  and Exchange  Board  of  India  and  other  stakeholders,  proposes  to develop a standardized R&D and technology disclosure framework for listed companies so as to enable better evaluation of innovation performance by investors and policymakers and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  strengthen India's innovation ecosystem including improved data reporting,

innovation metrics and policy incentives  to  enhance  R&D investment and support long-term technological growth?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) NITI  Aayog  has  not  examined  the  need  for  any  structured disclosure framework for corporate R&D expenditure.
- (b) Based on various stakeholder consultations in NITI Aayog, weak industry -academia linkages, lack of sufficient prototyping and testing facilities and need for suitable IP norms for co-funded R&D projects are some  of  the  probable  reasons  for  limited  private  investment  in innovation.
- (c) No such disclosure framework has been proposed.
- (d) NITI Aayog has launched the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), which is Government  of  India's  flagship  initiative  to  promote  a  culture  of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country. AIM  drives programs such as Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in schools, Atal Incubation Centres  (AICs),  and  Atal  Community  Innovation  Centres  (ACICs), creating  an  end-to-end  ecosystem  that  supports  innovators  at  every stage.

In  addition,  several  other  initiatives  such  as  creation  of  Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and launch of Research

Development and Innovation Fund (RDIF) has been recently operationalized, to enhance R&D investment. Also, the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India conceived and developed the  National  Initiative  for  Developing  and  Harnessing  Innovations (NIDHI) in 2016 for promoting S&T based Entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem across the country.

With respect to Innovation Metrics, NITI Aayog has constituted an interministerial  coordination  committee  for  monitoring  and  improving  the India's performance in the Global Innovation Index.

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