The Union Government on Tuesday called for a significant shift in India’s research landscape, urging the private sector to match public spending on innovation.
Speaking at the IIT-Madras Technology Summit 2026, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan noted that while the government currently shoulders 70 per cent of the R&D burden, a more balanced 50:50 partnership is essential to scale innovation.
“The current 70 per cent public investment reflects strong state commitment, but the long-term goal must be a more equitable contribution from industry to accelerate impact,” Pradhan said, adding that the nation’s innovation ecosystem has reached a critical “turning point.”
Speaking at the summit themed -- “From IITM. For Bharat. Building Together” -- the Minister said research should not remain confined to academic theses but it must translate into real-world products and solutions.
“India’s talent pool is already leading globally in many ways, but the time has come to reform and modernise the entire innovation process,” he said. Having said that Pradhan also remarked that a key question remains as to why Indians are not innovating enough within country.
“Science and technology must move to the forefront of national development, with a human-centric approach that brings tangible benefits to society... India has immense potential to lead globally, especially through its premier institutions like the IITs. Significant investments such as a proposed ₹1-lakh crore fund for R&D, are being directed toward the private sector and start-ups,” Pradhan said.
Many successful start-ups and unicorns have already emerged from IIT campuses, highlighting the strength of this ecosystem. Despite this, there is a gap. Much of the technology developed by Indian talent abroad is being purchased back by Indian industries from foreign markets, he added.
The summit showcased research and innovation from IIT Madras through its 15 Centres of Excellence, research initiatives and interdisciplinary schools. It also convened industry leaders, policymakers and academia in meaningful panel discussions and expert talks in key domains such as sustainability, semiconductors, industry-academia collaboration and skilling for the artificial intelligence (AI) economy.
The institute has established 15 Centres of Excellence and mobilised over ₹950 crore in research funding. These efforts have resulted in more than 240 patents and the creation of over 40 deep-tech start-ups in the past seven years, Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said.
“The IIT Madras Technology Summit 2026 is a call to action for industry, corporate firms and academia, including institutions like IIT Madras, to come together to build Bharat’s future. Today, IIT Madras is at the forefront of research and innovation through our IoE, CoEs and other centres driving high-impact research with significant patents, funding, publications, and startups. IIT Madras has a pivotal role to play as the Nation gears up for the next phase of work towards a Viksit Bharat,” he added.
Published on May 6, 2026