India’s Rs 20,000 Crore R&D Boost: Industry Calls for More to Lead Global Innovation

The Union Budget 2025-26 has allocated Rs 20,000 crore to promote R&D, AI, and geospatial initiatives, alongside support for Atal Tinkering Labs to foster innovation. While industry leaders praise these steps, they argue that India needs more investment and strategic focus, particularly in private sector-driven research and industry-academia collaboration, to achieve global leadership in emerging technologies.