India

Funding Delays and Bureaucracy Hamper Indian Scientists - NITI Aayog Report

Published: 25 August 2026 · 1 min read

What Happened

A new NITI Aayog report on the Ease of Doing Research & Development has found that Indian scientists are burdened by excessive bureaucracy, delayed funding, cumbersome procurement rules, vacant positions and repetitive grant applications. The report says a "significant trust deficit" between funding agencies and researchers is preventing scientists from focusing fully on research.

Key Takeaways

The report warns that unless India reduces administrative hurdles and adopts a more trust-based, outcome-oriented research ecosystem, the country's innovation and R&D ambitions could be held back despite growing publication, patent and startup numbers.

Sources

TOI