The Indian government is intensifying its efforts to create a more conducive environment for scientific research and development through a series of regional consultations aimed at identifying and addressing systemic barriers to innovation. The Sixth Regional Consultative Meeting on ‘Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)’ was held at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) in Hyderabad, bringing together scientists, policymakers, and industry representatives to develop concrete strategies for streamlining India’s research ecosystem.
This initiative forms part of a broader national strategy to enhance India’s global standing in scientific research and technological innovation. The meetings, organized across different regions of the country, seek to identify procedural bottlenecks, regulatory challenges, and infrastructure limitations that have historically impeded research productivity and collaboration between academic institutions, government laboratories, and private industry.
According to participants familiar with the proceedings, the Hyderabad meeting focused on several critical areas including simplification of procurement processes for research equipment and materials, streamlining ethical clearance procedures, creating more flexible funding mechanisms, and developing frameworks for easier collaboration between public and private sector research entities. The discussions also addressed intellectual property management and technology transfer processes that often create delays in converting research outcomes into commercial applications.
India’s research and development landscape has undergone significant transformation over the past decade, with increased public investment in scientific infrastructure and higher education institutions. However, bureaucratic hurdles and complex administrative procedures have remained persistent challenges for researchers working across multiple institutions and jurisdictions. The current initiative represents a systematic approach to addressing these issues through stakeholder consultation and policy reform.
The regional consultation model allows for context-specific solutions that account for the diverse research ecosystems across different parts of India. Southern states, including Telangana where the meeting was hosted, have emerged as significant hubs for pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, and chemical sciences, making the regional focus particularly relevant for addressing sector-specific challenges.
Industry representatives participating in the consultation emphasized the importance of creating seamless pathways between academic research and industrial application. The need for harmonized regulations across states, standardized documentation requirements, and digital platforms for research compliance featured prominently in the discussions. Many participants highlighted how procedural simplifications could significantly accelerate the pace of innovation, particularly in sectors critical to national priorities such as healthcare, energy, and environmental sustainability.
International comparisons presented during the consultations indicated that countries with streamlined research ecosystems tend to achieve higher returns on research investment and faster translation of scientific discoveries into market-ready technologies. The Indian government’s focus on ease of doing research aligns with global best practices while addressing unique challenges within the country’s federal structure and diverse institutional landscape.
The outcomes from these regional meetings are expected to feed into national policy frameworks that will be implemented through various ministries and departments involved in science and technology governance. This bottom-up approach to policy formulation represents a significant departure from previous top-down interventions and reflects the government’s recognition of the complex, interconnected nature of research ecosystems.
As India aims to position itself as a global leader in science and technology, initiatives like the ease of doing research consultations demonstrate a maturing approach to science policy that balances ambition with practical implementation challenges. The continued focus on stakeholder engagement and evidence-based policy reform suggests a sustained commitment to building a world-class research environment that can drive economic growth and address pressing societal challenges through scientific innovation.
