In a significant move to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem, NITI Aayog convened the Second Consultative Meeting on Ease of Doing R&D at the CSIR – Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) in Dehradun. This initiative is part of a broader reform agenda aimed at making research and development (R&D) more efficient, collaborative, and industry-friendly across the country.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders from central research institutions, private industries, academia, and government bodies to deliberate on policy interventions and structural reforms required to remove bottlenecks in India’s R&D ecosystem.
Focus Areas of Discussion
The core themes discussed during the meeting included:
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Streamlining administrative processes for research approvals and funding.
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Fostering industry-academia collaboration to drive innovation.
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Simplifying compliance frameworks for research organizations.
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Facilitating international scientific partnerships and technology transfer.
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Enhancing access to research infrastructure and data.
Senior officials from NITI Aayog highlighted that while India ranks among the top countries in scientific output, significant challenges remain in ensuring that R&D translates into scalable, commercial innovations. The reforms proposed aim to shift from a regulatory to an enabling environment that promotes ease of doing research similar to the government’s “Ease of Doing Business” initiative.
Voices from the Meeting
Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member (Science & Technology), NITI Aayog, emphasized the urgent need to remove friction in public-private research collaboration and suggested creating a unified digital portal for all R&D-related approvals and grants.
Dr. Anjan Ray, Director of CSIR-IIP, welcomed the collaborative approach and reiterated the institute’s readiness to serve as a model for decentralized R&D facilitation through pilot reforms. He also showcased some of CSIR-IIP’s cutting-edge innovations in green fuels, hydrogen technology, and waste-to-energy initiatives.
Industry representatives from the pharmaceutical, automotive, and renewable sectors advocated for flexible intellectual property (IP) frameworks, time-bound funding mechanisms, and startup participation in national-level research programs.
Outcomes and Next Steps
As part of the action plan, NITI Aayog proposed the formation of a National R&D Facilitation Cell, which will work in coordination with the Department of Science & Technology (DST), CSIR, and major universities to:
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Track and resolve institutional-level R&D challenges.
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Develop an R&D Ease Index to benchmark performance.
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Encourage multidisciplinary mega-projects aligned with national priorities.
The consultative meeting also laid the groundwork for a white paper that will consolidate inputs from stakeholders and be presented to the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) later this year.
