Experts urge India to increase its investment in research and technology

While India possesses significant talent, the total funding for science and technology remains quite low, according to experts who spoke on Tuesday.
During a gathering in the capital, they discussed how scientific research priorities need to adapt to global uncertainties, fast-paced technological changes, and increasingly intricate societal challenges.
Professor Jack Szostak, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009, mentioned that boosting investment in science and education can lead to solutions for global issues.
“India boasts a wealth of talented individuals, yet overall investment in science and technology is still quite limited. There are some outstanding examples of world-class research, but these are minor compared to the potential achievements of India,” Szostak stated during an event hosted by Ashoka University.
Szostak, a Chemistry Professor at the University of Chicago, noted that funding for science is frequently viewed as competing with urgent social needs.
“On the contrary, the most effective means of tackling these urgent issues is to increase funding for science and technology, as this will foster solutions to today’s crucial problems,” he asserted.
Professor K. VijayRaghavan, former Principal Scientific Adviser to the Indian Government, echoed the importance of broadening both the scope and reach of scientific research in India.
“Though India has made considerable investments in particular missions and institutions, the greater challenge is to enhance access to research funding beyond a limited number of elite centers, and to establish mechanisms that enable emerging institutions to effectively utilize and absorb resources,” he stated.
Priyamvada Natarajan, a Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Yale University, emphasized the critical need for continuous support for fundamental research and the necessity for increased investments in science.
“This presents a unique opportunity for India to significantly increase its investment in science and concentrate on several impactful, interdisciplinary fields. Much of today’s significant research is highly collaborative, and by making strategic investments in these burgeoning areas, India can not only follow but also shape the future frontiers of science,” Natarajan remarked.
Professor Rajesh Gopakumar, Director of the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS–TIFR) and a prominent theoretical physicist, highlighted the necessity of enhancing scientific research and reinforcing international collaboration.
“To advance, we must expand our perspectives. This involves internationalizing Indian science, setting global benchmarks, and embracing the understanding of science as an open-ended pursuit—where new avenues are discovered through cross-disciplinary and international dialogues,” he stressed.
