Industry must match Government research spend, says Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday batted for an equal contribution by the private sector and the Government in research and innovation, noting that about 70 per cent of research investment in India currently comes from the Government.

Inaugurating the IIT Madras Technology Summit 2026 in New Delhi, he said that while the Government has significantly increased funding for research and development, industry contribution needs to rise. “At present, around 70 per cent of research investment comes from the Government, reflecting strong public commitment. However, the long-term direction must move towards a more balanced 50:50 partnership between the public sector and industry to accelerate innovation and scale impact,” the minister said.

The summit was attended by Union Minister of State for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent charge) Jayant Chaudhary and senior officials.

Inaugurating the summit themed “From IITM. For Bharat. Building Together”, Pradhan said India’s innovation ecosystem is at a “crucial turning point”.

“Research should not remain confined to academic theses, but it must translate into real-world products and solutions. India’s talent pool is already leading globally in many ways, but the time has come to reform and modernise the entire innovation process,” he said.

However, a key question remains as to why we are not innovating enough within our own country.

“Science and technology must move to the forefront of national development, with a human-centric approach that brings tangible benefits to society,” he said.

“India has immense potential to lead globally, especially through its premier institutions like the IITs. Significant investments, such as a proposed Rs 1 lakh crore fund for research and development, are being directed toward the private sector and start-ups.

“Many successful start-ups and unicorns have already emerged from IIT campuses, highlighting the strength of this ecosystem. Despite this, there is a gap. Much of the technology developed by Indian talent abroad is being purchased back by Indian industries from foreign markets,” the minister said.

“This indicates a need to build and invest in our own products domestically. With a strong internal market, India has the advantage of being both producer and consumer,” he added.

The minister noted that India has emerged as a global hub for start-ups, with their number rising from a few hundred to over 2.5 lakh in recent years, and the country improving its position in the Global Innovation Index from 85th to 38th.

“A few years back, we had only a few hundred start-ups in our country. Now, we have crossed more than two and a half lakh start-ups. There is a new culture in the world, and India is improving its position in the innovation index from 85th to 38th,” he said.

The minister reiterated the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047, and said the Global South will depend on the Indian model.

Praising IIT Madras for its initiatives, he said institutions must remain accountable to society and communicate their contributions in research and innovation.

“Building Bharat is not limited to India’s boundaries. It means creating sustainable solutions for the world, especially for the poor and the Global South,” he said.

IIT Madras Director Professor V Kamakoti said the summit is a call to action for industry, corporate firms and academia, including institutions like IIT Madras, to come together to build Bharat’s future.

“Today, IIT Madras is at the forefront of research and innovation through our Institute of Eminence (IoE), Centres of Excellence (CoE) and other centres driving high-impact research with significant patents, funding, publications, and start-ups.”

Professor Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras, said, “IIT Madras’ strong growth in research and innovation is driven by our clear, undeterred focus on translating it into real-world solutions for societal impact. The success of our IoE Centres of Excellence stands as a testament to the fact that real impact happens when research and development reaches the last mile.”

“Our industry partners understand that collaboration with IIT Madras means building together for a Viksit Bharat, and this collaborative ecosystem nurtured through these partnerships is what makes us leaders in this space,” he added.

The inaugural session also saw the launch of the book “Inventing a Better Tomorrow: 25 Years of IIT Madras Impact”, documenting the institute’s contributions to research, innovation, and nation-building.

At the summit, IIT Madras also announced Bodhan AI, a Centre of Excellence for AI in Education, incubated as a Section 8 company and supported by the Ministry of Education.