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Bharatiya Janata Party · 2014
Claim
Lacks context
Delivery
Partly delivered
Total research spending rose and the public share of it fell. The Department of Science and Technology's figures, given to Parliament on 29 July 2026, show gross expenditure on research and development rising from ₹1,32,567 crore in 2019-20 to ₹2,44,768 crore in 2023-24 — and as a share of GDP from 0.66 per cent to 0.84 per cent, still below where India stood in the 2000s relative to comparable economies. The composition changed more than the total: the government's share of R&D spending fell from 66.2 per cent to 48.2 per cent over the same five years while the private sector's rose from 33.8 to 51.8. On the manifesto's two limbs, industry investment was incentivised successfully; public spending grew in rupees but shrank in share.
“Increase the public spending on R&D and Incentivize R&D investments by the industry to increase the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector… provide tax incentives for investments in research and development, geared towards indigenization of technology and innovation.”No CAG performance audit published
No CAG performance audit covering this scheme has been published. The absence of an audit is not evidence that the claim is either accurate or inaccurate.
No CAG audit of research and development spending has been tabled in a report we hold. The figures here are the Department of Science and Technology's own, from its Research and Development Statistics 2025-26.
No audit period to plot — no CAG performance audit covering this scheme has been published.
Gross expenditure on R&D 0.84 per cent of GDP in 2023-24, up from 0.66 per cent in 2019-20
Higher education institutions account for 12.6 per cent of national R&D spending and public sector enterprises 4.1 per cent. The department publishes the data sector-wise rather than state-wise.
Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1661, Research and Development Expenditure — answer by the Ministry of Science and Technology
The 2014 manifesto makes two R&D commitments in different chapters. In the manufacturing section: "Increase the public spending on R&D and Incentivize R&D investments by the industry to increase the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector." In the taxation section: "provide tax incentives for investments in research and development, geared towards indigenization of technology and innovation."
The Department of Science and Technology gave Parliament the national figures on 29 July 2026, drawn from its Research and Development Statistics 2025-26. Gross expenditure on research and development: ₹1,32,567 crore in 2019-20, ₹1,27,381 crore in 2020-21, ₹1,94,811 crore in 2021-22, ₹2,13,378 crore in 2022-23 and ₹2,44,768 crore in 2023-24. As a share of GDP: 0.66, 0.64, 0.83, 0.82 and 0.84 per cent.
Spending nearly doubled in rupees over five years, and the GDP share rose by about a fifth. Set against comparable economies the level remains low — China spends over 2 per cent, South Korea over 4 — but the direction is up, and the jump between 2020-21 and 2021-22 is large.
The composition is where the promise splits. Government share of total R&D spending: 66.2 per cent in 2019-20, then 63.6, 54.5, 52.0 and 48.2 per cent in 2023-24. Private sector share: 33.8, 36.4, 45.5, 48.0 and 51.8 per cent. India crossed the point where private research spending exceeds public during this period.
Read against the manifesto, that is one promise kept emphatically and the other only in nominal terms. "Incentivize R&D investments by the industry" — done, and the private share nearly doubled its weight in five years. "Increase the public spending on R&D" — public spending did rise in rupees. Adding the answer's central, state and higher-education rows gives ₹87,813 crore in 2019-20 against ₹1,17,956 crore in 2022-23 and ₹1,26,416 crore in 2023-24. But as a fraction of national research effort the state receded. Whether that is success or drift depends on what one thinks the state's role in basic research should be; the manifesto promised an increase and got a relative decline.
Two structural numbers in the same answer are worth keeping. Higher education institutions account for 12.6 per cent of national R&D spending, up from 7.5 per cent — universities are doing more research than they were, from a very low base. Public sector enterprises remain at 4.1 per cent, flat across the period.
the archive resolves.
Our verdict is lacks context.
BJP Election Manifesto 2014 — Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
“Our Pledge — Ek Bharat - Shreshtha Bharat: Vibrant and Participatory Democracy; Empowered and Inspired People; Inclusive and Sustainable Development; Quality life in Villages and Cities; Basic Amenities to All; Flourishing Agriculture; Productive Youth; Involved Women; Robust physical and social Infrastructure; Innovative and Technologically driven Society; Globally competitive Economy; Brand India built on Quality; Strong, Effective and Futuristic Institutions; Open, Transparent and Systems-based Government; Pro-active, Pro-people Good Governance.”
Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1661, Research and Development Expenditure — answer by the Ministry of Science and Technology
“As per 'Research & Development Statistics 2025-26' report of Department of Science and Technology (DST), the gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) in the country has shown increasing trend… GERD (in Rupees Crore): 2019-20 — 132,567.01; 2020-21 — 127,380.96; 2021-22 — 194,810.83; 2022-23 — 213,378.12; 2023-24 — 244,767.81. GERD as a percentage of GDP (%): 0.66, 0.64, 0.83, 0.82, 0.84. Share in total R&D Expenditure (%) — Government Sector: 66.2, 63.6, 54.5, 52.0, 48.2; Private Sector: 33.8, 36.4, 45.5, 48.0, 51.8. Higher Education Institutions: 7.5, 8.8, 12.4, 12.9, 12.6. Public Sector Enterprises: 3.9, 4.4, 4.3, 4.1, 4.1. The department maintain R&D expenditure data sector-wise rather than state-wise. (d) Yes. The Government maintains data on Central R&D expenditure through Research and Development Statistics reports brought out by the DST… Sector wise R&D Expenditure during last five years is as under (Rs. Crore) — Central Sector: 69317.09 (2019-20), 61281.48, 79355.80, 81183.38, 85711.50 (2023-24); State Sector: 8554.79, 8476.35, 8394.24, 9193.28, 9796.10; Private Sector: 44753.54, 46388.13, 82974.99, 95422.17, 118351.68; Higher Education Sector: 9941.59, 11235.00, 24085.80, 27579.29, 30908.53; Total: 132,567.01, 127,380.96, 194,810.83, 213,378.12, 244,767.81. Share in total R&D expenditure (%) — Higher Education Institutions: 7.5, 8.8, 12.4, 12.9, 12.6; Public Sector Enterprises: 3.9, 4.4, 4.3, 4.1, 4.1]”