Fund high-end R&D work under CSR, govt body urges private sector

MUMBAI: India’s apex research facilitation body, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), has for the first time called on global industries and philanthropists to invest in research and development (R&D) in India through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.

While the private sector has been contributing to R&D, these investments are scattered and concentrated in academic research. Traditionally, CSR activities have been oriented towards education, healthcare, and agriculture, among others. ANRF has now urged industry players to co-fund big-ticket, high-impact projects, with a special emphasis on translational research that can drive innovation from laboratories to real-world applications.

This is the first time a govt agency has officially sought collaboration with private players to support big-ticket research initiatives.

A senior central govt official said the top 100 listed Indian companies account for more than 50% of the country’s total CSR spending.

"Even if 10% of these funds are routed towards research, development, and innovation, it could boost the country’s research outcomes,” the official said. The official added that industries have been invited to participate through various schemes, with the govt planning to amplify these contributions.

“The private sector is investing in research carried out by academic institutions, but most of this research does not go to the next level, as it is not commercialised. Deep research needs a larger quantum of money. ANRF contributes Rs 15 crore to Rs 50 crore towards each project, and we wish to co-fund these projects in collaboration with the private sector,” another official said, adding that the appeal is to collaborate on projects that will also have a societal impact.

The foundation announced that digital dashboards and transparent reporting frameworks will be created so that industries can track the impact created by their contributions. The funding will help them expand programmes for post-doctoral fellowships, Ramanujan Fellowships (to bring back outstanding talent to India), early career research grants, and advanced research grants. The call is not just restricted to private players in the country, but extends to industry players across the globe.

Emphasising the creation of an ecosystem where machines are built indigenously in India rather than imported, the official said that they are working towards allowing an open intellectual property (IP) policy, where everyone can access the research and build upon it.

ANRF is a statutory body that came into being through an Act of Parliament in 2023. With its establishment, the Science and Engineering Research Board was dissolved, expanding the mandate to wider research areas including humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, among others. The Prime Minister is the chairman of ANRF's governing board.