India has made significant strides in technological advancements and digital infrastructure; however, it still lags behind in the global innovation sector. Several factors contribute to this gap, including insufficient public funding for research, a lack of cutting-edge research labs, and an underdeveloped hardware industry.
India's Digital Competitiveness Score is 60 (out of 100), placing it ahead of all BRICS nations except China. The country boasts approximately 4.5 million IT professionals, including those in the software export industry. Remarkably, India ranks second only to the US in the number of highly skilled technology professionals, with 60% of professionals in the export industry working for American companies.
India enjoys a vast digital infrastructure, with 1.31 billion mobile phone users and significant data consumption. The country has achieved impressive milestones in digital public infrastructures, especially with UPI's daily transactions expected to hit a billion by 2026. However, despite this digital growth, India lacks cutting-edge research labs and a robust hardware industry, which are crucial for leading global innovation.
Investment in India over the past decade has totaled $145 billion, compared to China's $835 billion and the US's $2.3 trillion. This scarcity of financial capital is a significant constraint for growth. Indian universities receive around $800 million annually in public funding, which is less than what a single prominent American university might receive.
Launched by the Government of India, the AIM aims to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country. Initiatives include:
Thousands of Atal Tinkering Labs have been established in schools, encouraging students to engage in hands-on learning and innovative projects. Numerous Atal Incubation Centers provide resources, mentorship, and funding support to startups, aiding them in scaling their businesses.
In 2023, India filed over 90,000 patents, averaging 247 patents per day, marking a 17% increase—the highest in two decades. However, it still falls short of the top 10 countries for patent filings. In 2020, India filed nearly 57,000 patents, only 4% of China's 1.49 million applications and 9.5% of the US's 597,000 applications.
India currently ranks 40th out of 132 economies in the GII 2023 rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, a significant improvement from a rank of 81 in 2015. To climb higher in the GII rankings, India aims to enhance its innovation ecosystem by increasing public funding, improving research infrastructure, and fostering a culture of innovation.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has collaborated in India’s journey toward an innovation-driven economy. In partnership with NITI Aayog and WIPO, CII hosted the India Launch of the GII 2023 on September 29, 2023.
While India faces significant challenges in leading the global innovation sector, there are positive developments and potential for growth. Initiatives like the Atal Innovation Mission, increased public funding, and a focus on improving research infrastructure will be crucial for India to become an innovation capital of the world.
Q1. What is India's current ranking in the Global Innovation Index?
Answer: India ranks 40th out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023, a significant improvement from its rank of 81 in 2015.
Q2. What are the key initiatives of the Atal Innovation Mission?
Answer: The Atal Innovation Mission focuses on fostering innovation through initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs in schools and Atal Incubation Centers for startups.
Q3. Why does India have fewer patent filings compared to other countries?
Answer: India faces challenges such as a lack of emphasis on patent filing in its research culture and long processing times for patent applications.
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