The government’s emphasis on strategic and mission-driven research was highlighted on Sunday, February 1, when the Union Budget 2026 allocated ₹66,784.67 crore for core research and development (R&D) across important scientific and technology departments. The majority of India’s publicly financed research ecosystem is comprised of key R&D-heavy departments, such as atomic energy, space, science and technology, biotechnology, and agricultural research. According to PIB, India’s gross spending on research and development (GERD) increased gradually over the past ten years, from ₹60,196.75 crore in 2010–11 to ₹1,27,380.96 crore in 2020–21. However, compared to most advanced nations, R&D investment as a percentage of GDP has stayed relatively steady in the 0.64–0.66% range.
According to government figures, public spending still dominates India’s R&D landscape, with the private sector contributing around 36% of overall R&D expenditure and the central government and public sector businesses accounting for nearly two-thirds. Defence, space, atomic energy and science ministries together form the backbone of public R&D outlays. The Department of Science and Technology was given around ₹28,000 crore in Budget 2026 to finance scientific infrastructure, institutional grants, and national research missions. Over ₹13,700 crore was given to the Department of Space, indicating consistent investment in space science, launch systems, and satellite construction.
Nearly ₹4,900 crore was given to atomic research centers including the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and related laboratories by the Department of Atomic Energy, which continued to see substantial support for key research institutions. Agricultural research also remained a focus, with about ₹9,200 crore routed through the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, spanning crop science, livestock research, fisheries and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) system.While the Department of Biotechnology continued to support life sciences research and innovation platforms, ₹6,765.62 in funding for industrial and applied research was directed through the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) network.
The government’s emphasis on innovation and early technological exposure, especially through school- and student-level programs, is reflected in the Budget in addition to institutional research. The Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) program, which is part of the Atal Innovation Mission, is a prime example. The government announced ambitions to expand ATLs to 50,000 laboratories nationally in the Union Budget last year in order to encourage innovation and experiential learning in schools.
Budget 2026 offers a significant increase in funds, despite the rollout announcement being made earlier. Budget expectations for 2026–2027 have increased to ₹3,200 crore, indicating expedited implementation, whereas revised estimates for 2025–2026 stood at ₹500 crore.
Over 10,000 ATLs have been established in the last year, including over 1.1 crore students in both public and private schools. A ₹20 lakh one-time establishment grant and up to ₹10 lakh in operational support spread over five years are given to each lab, bringing the total amount of government funding per lab to ₹30 lakh. According to PIB data, ATLs have led to the launch of more than 16 lakh innovation initiatives, as of October 2025. The labs, which concentrate on cutting-edge technologies including robotics, electronics, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things, are viewed as a pipeline for developing next academics and innovators.
