Ease of Doing R&D initiative of NITI & PSA shall accelerate commercialise of innovation: Director EoDB
Technocrat shared his experience while congratulating NITI Aayog & PSA for the Ease of Doing R&D initiative, calling it a timely push to accelerate the commercialisation of innovations through pilot-led deployments.
Mr. Abhijeet Sinha is the National Program Director of Ease of Doing Business and works on accelerating the commercialisation of emerging technologies through prototypes and pilot projects.
India stands at the cusp of a technological renaissance, and the recent initiative by NITI Aayog and the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to overhaul the ‘Ease of Doing Research’ (EoDR) marks a pivotal step towards unlocking the true potential of our scientific community. As someone deeply involved in accelerating the commercialisation of emerging technologies through prototypes and pilot projects, I am both encouraged and optimistic about the transformative impact this initiative can have on India’s innovation ecosystem.
A Shift Towards Outcome-Oriented Research
The new framework proposed by NITI Aayog, focusing on streamlining grant rules, project evaluations, and researcher career tracks, is a much-needed shift from process-driven to outcome-oriented research. By benchmarking institutions and setting model guidelines for R&D scale-up and monetisation, this initiative will help bridge the gap between academic research and market-ready innovations.
Accelerating Commercialisation: The Missing Link
One of the most persistent challenges in India’s R&D landscape has been the low conversion rate of research into commercially viable products. The reforms envisaged by NITI Aayog and PSA—especially those aimed at boosting institutional autonomy and fostering risk-taking—will empower researchers to move beyond publications and patents, and focus on real-world impact through commercialisation.
As someone who has worked extensively on accelerating the journey from prototype to pilot to product, he sees immense value in these reforms. By reducing red tape, enabling agile funding mechanisms, and promoting stronger university-industry linkages, we can create an ecosystem where innovation thrives and translates into economic growth, job creation, and global competitiveness.
A Global Perspective
India’s ambition to become a global leader in science and technology requires us to learn from international best practices. Countries like the US, China, and South Korea have demonstrated that academic freedom, flexible funding, and robust industry partnerships are key to fostering breakthrough innovations. The NITI & PSA initiative aligns India with these global standards and sends a strong signal of intent to the world.
This convening, organised by NITI Aayog, is a timely and strategic move to unlock India’s innovation potential. We believe that by creating robust pathways for emerging technologies – through proof of concepts, prototyping, and piloting – we can quickly transition these innovations from the lab onto the shelves, ensuring they translate into real-world impact and broader adoption.
Abhijeet Sinha
National Program Director, Ease of Doing Business (EoDB)
EoDB, as a privately held Special Purpose Entity (SPE) and India’s premier emerging tech-piloting agency, plays a crucial role in the R&D landscape. It accelerates the commercialisation of emerging technologies originating from industries and institutions by moving them from initial prototypes and pilot projects to market-ready innovations. By focusing on evidence-based tech-pilot projects, EoDB bridges the gap between research and commercial scalability, ensuring that new innovations can be rapidly adopted and contribute to economic growth.
It’s an interesting start in a much needed domain. What would make it more valuable is visibility on what happens next. How will the inputs from the 350 stakeholders be examined and analysed and by whom? What form will a third party evaluation of received inputs take? What is the way forward for engaging with other stakeholders, especially the clients for sponsored research? But most importantly, what is the objectives framework under which the Ease of Doing Research is being created? What are the outcomes we are seeking as a nation? What will the success of this endeavour look like and what are the metrics on which we will measure success?
AMITABH sinha
NITI Aayog organises a Two-day Consultative Meeting on Ease of Doing Research and Development (R&D) on 27th – 28th May, 2025, hosted by Raj Bhawan, Lucknow, U
SOURCE: INDIA EDUCATION DIARY | MAY 28, 2025
A Two-day Consultative Meeting was held at the Raj Bhawan (Governor House), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on 27th – 28th May, 2025, under the Chairpersonship of the Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt. Anandiben Patel, and Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog. The meeting brought together Vice Chancellors of Universities, Directors of leading research laboratories, and Heads of various Research Institutions under the major scientific Central Government Ministries/ Departments for an in-depth dialogue on strengthening India’s Research and Development (R&D) ecosystem.
The event was graced by the presence of Smt. Anandiben Patel, Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh; Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog; Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR & Secretary, DSIR; Dr. Sudhir M. Bobde, Additional Chief Secretary to the Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh; Prof. Vinod Kumar Singh, President, The National Academy of Sciences, India; and other distinguished dignitaries from various scientific ministries and departments. The meeting witnessed participation from over 50 laboratories, research institutions, and universities, reflecting an inclusive representation from India’s scientific and academic community.
In her address, the Hon’ble Governor emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts between academia, government, and industry to unlock the country’s full scientific and technological potential. Dr. V.K. Saraswat reiterated the commitment of NITI Aayog to enabling structural reforms and creating a more agile, innovation-friendly policy environment. Prof. Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog, presented details of the comprehensive exercise on ‘Ease of Doing R&D’ being taken up by NITI Aayog.
