New Delhi: Strong tie-ups between government agencies and private sector are key to driving innovation, moving away from excessive reliance on government funding for research and development, science and technology minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday.
While releasing policy think tank NITI Aayog’s blueprint for fuelling India’s transformation into a knowledge-based economy, Singh said that private sector has to step up in financing innovation. The NITI Aayog blueprint focuses on strengthening state science and technology councils.
Singh said a change in mindset is critical for innovation. “We must move away from excessive reliance on government funding and encourage vibrant public-private partnerships to unlock innovation at scale,” said the minister.
Singh is also the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office and the minister of state for earth sciences, personnel, public grievances and pensions and atomic energy and space.
Science and technology in the times to come will increasingly be linked to India’s future growth as the country climbs the global GDP ladder. Citing India’s digital public infrastructure, Singh said some of India’s success stories have already given the country global recognition.
The minister said that for playing a global role, there is a need to change the mindset of relying only on government funds for research. “Most of the successful scientific ventures across the world do not depend on government. So we have to get out of this mindset,” the minister said, adding that government has its limitations.
The minister described the recently established Anusandhan National Research Foundation as a game-changer that will bridge gaps between academia, industry and government, facilitating co-creation and co-investment in research. Singh also said the next big revolution will be biotech-driven and India is set to lead the world.
Referring to the liberalization of space and nuclear sectors for private participation, Singh said, “With these domains unlocked, only the sky is the limit for Indian science.” Singh called for the government to assume the role of facilitator rather than controller, encouraging innovation to thrive.