Why sustainable funding matters for India’s ‘science power’ ambition | Explained Premium
The Hindu
The National Science Day theme for 2024, "Science for Sustainable Development", also highlights India's need to increase its R&D funding if it is to become a developed nation by 2047.
The 2024 theme for National Science Day, which India celebrates every year on February 28, is “Science for Sustainable Development”.
Science and technological developments are key drivers of India’s journey towards becoming a developed country by 2047. India is committed to making this progress through sustainable means, as evidenced by its commitments under the Paris Agreement, participation in global fora for sustainable development, and reinforced in this year’s theme for Science Day. The role of science in driving sustainable development doesn’t need emphasis, but any conversation on science is incomplete without setting one key expectation: for science to transform India, it has to be sustainably and consistently funded.
Funding for fundamental research in India is amongst the world’s lowest, particularly for a country with high science and technology ambitions. In the recent past, India’s R&D expense has dropped to the current 0.64% of GDP from 0.8% in 2008-2009 and 0.7% in 2017-2018. This reduced expenditure is worrying considering government agencies themselves have issued several calls to double this spending.
The 2013 Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy noted that “Increasing Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) to 2% GDP has been a national goal for some time”. The 2017-2018 Economic Survey reiterated this in its chapter on science and technology transformation.
The reasons for the reduction in research and development (R&D) spending despite the government being cognisant of the need to increase it are not clear, but may stem from a lack of coordination between government agencies and a need for stronger political will to prioritise R&D expenses.
Most developed countries spend between 2% and 4% of their respective GDPs on R&D. In 2021, member-countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on average spent 2.7% of GDP on R&D. The U.S. and the U.K. have consistently spent more than 2% of their GDPs on R&D for the past decade. So, many experts have called for India to spend at least 1%, but ideally 3%, of its GDP every year until 2047 on R&D for science to have a meaningful impact on development.
Science requires consistent, large-scale investment to bear fruit. For India to reach ‘developed nation’ status, it needs to spend more to scale R&D than developed countries spend to maintain that status. This is the foundation of the demand to spend at least 3% of the GDP on R&D annually until 2047.
Explore the necessity, types, challenges, and potential of bioremediation in India for environmental restoration and public health.
Researchers in India uncover genetic factors linked to early oral cancer onset in tobacco chewers, enhancing cancer prediction and prevention.
Mahindra’s XEV 9S is a modern, family-focused electric SUV with premium design, a spacious tech-rich cabin, refined performance and advanced safety features. Discover variants, pricing and real-world impressions in our detailed review.
Samantha interview: On pickleball, her battles with a rare autoimmune condition and learnings
Experience the thrilling Akkulam Glass Bridge in Thiruvananthapuram, offering stunning views and adventure activities for all ages.
Climate scientists and advocates long held an optimistic belief that once impacts became undeniable, people and governments would act. This overestimated our collective response capacity while underestimating our psychological tendency to normalise, says Rachit Dubey, assistant professor at the department of communication, University of California.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla predicts a transformative decade for India’s space exploration and international collaboration.