NITI Aayog Releases “Pathways to Progress” Report on India’s Innovation Growth

NITI Aayog today released its landmark report, “Pathways to Progress: Analysis and Insights into India’s Innovation Story”, which presents a comprehensive assessment of India’s journey in science, technology, and innovation. The report reflects the nation’s achievements, highlights systemic challenges, and sets out a strategic roadmap for strengthening India’s status as a global innovation hub.

Building India’s Innovation Story

Launching the report, Dr. Deepak Bagla, Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), explained how AIM has acted as a catalyst in nurturing entrepreneurial talent and fostering a vibrant startup culture. He highlighted initiatives such as Atal Tinkering Labs in schools, Atal Incubation Centres, and innovation challenges that have enabled innovation at scale, democratizing opportunities for young minds across rural and urban India alike.

Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, underlined the strategic role of innovation in shaping India’s development trajectory. He said the report provides evidence-based insights that will guide policymaking, strengthen institutional linkages, and enhance collaboration between academia, industry, and government.

Inclusive, Context-Driven Innovation

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science & Technology, emphasized that innovation in India is not limited to frontier technologies but is also thriving at the grassroots level. He noted that government initiatives are advancing research and technology development while enabling the commercialization of innovations in diverse sectors like healthcare, agriculture, space, and clean energy.

He stressed the importance of inclusive and context-driven innovation, which addresses real-world challenges such as affordable healthcare, sustainable farming practices, and climate adaptation, while at the same time positioning India as a competitive player in global markets.

India as a Global Knowledge Brand

Delivering the keynote address, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, called India’s progress in innovation a collective national achievement. He stressed the need to brand Bharat as a global leader in knowledge, science, and technology, highlighting India’s demographic dividend and institutional strengths. He urged that India’s youth and talent pool must be harnessed to create scalable and inclusive innovations that transform society and elevate India’s standing worldwide.

A Whole-of-Government Push

The event was attended by Secretaries from the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), and the Department of School Education & Literacy (DSEL), along with Program Directors from NITI Aayog. Their presence demonstrated the government’s unified commitment to accelerating India’s innovation journey.

Key Highlights of the Report

The report provides a holistic overview of India’s innovation ecosystem, covering multiple dimensions:

• National and State-Level Initiatives: Mapping government-led and state-level innovation programmes.

• Startups and Grassroots Innovation: Documenting the exponential rise of startups and inclusive, bottom-up innovation.

• University-Industry-Government Collaborations: Examining institutional partnerships that bridge research and commercialization.

• India’s Global Innovation Rankings: Tracing India’s rise from 81st position in 2015 to 40th in 2023, and its ambition to break into the top 25 by 2030.

The Road Ahead

The report identifies key systemic challenges — from fragmented R&D funding to insufficient deep-tech investment — and proposes actionable solutions. The forward-looking roadmap includes:

• Scaling successful models like AIM to reach more regions.

• Fostering deep technology innovation in areas such as AI, semiconductors, space tech, and biotechnology.

• Strengthening knowledge creation and improving university-industry linkages.

• Enhancing global integration through partnerships and exchanges.

• Building innovation capacity in states, encouraging regional ecosystems to flourish alongside national hubs.

Towards a Knowledge-Driven Economy

By releasing this report, NITI Aayog reinforced its commitment to building a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy. With India’s demographic advantage, growing startup base, and government support, the nation is poised to emerge as a global hub for science, technology, and entrepreneurship, driving sustainable and inclusive growth.