Research and Innovation in India: Between Expansion and Integrity
India is seeing a surge in patent filings, yet low grant and commercialization rates suggest that quantitative growth is outpacing qualitative substance.
Research and development (R&D) investment in India remains at 0.64% of GDP, far below global leaders.
Performance metrics in universities are driving patent volume, but often at the expense of market-ready innovation.
Trends in Patent Filings
Patent filings nearly doubled from 58,503 in 2020–21 to 110,375 in 2024–25.
A small group of private universities accounts for a massive portion of filings, though their success rates are as low as 0–3%.
Foreign applicants continue to dominate granted patents, particularly in high-technology sectors, highlighting a capability gap among domestic entities.
Systemic Challenges and Commercialization
As of April 2025, only 6.39% of patents in force were reported as commercialized, even when including official self-disclosures.
The system is experiencing strain; as filing volumes rise, the number of examined applications has dropped, risking lower quality.
India’s R&D investment is significantly lower than that of the U.S. (3.59%), China (2.56%), and South Korea (5.21%), increasing reliance on imported intellectual property.
Path Forward
Greater industrial investment and structured industry-academia partnerships are essential to align research with production needs.
Strengthening the patent office's examination capacity is necessary to maintain system credibility and protect genuine innovation.
Policy focus must shift from maximizing filing numbers to ensuring that intellectual property leads to productive technologies and economic value.
