Where Is India’s Innovation Policy Headed?

A new policy for the organisation of investments in science, technology and innovation (STI) activities was announced by the Prime Minister of India at the Indian Science Congress held in Kolkata during 3–7 January 2013. Under the new policy (hereinafter referred to as the STIP, 2013) the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has been given the responsibility of policy coordination. The DST is expected to steer and coordinate the STI investments of both government departments and private sector. The distinguishing feature of this new policy is that the government has explicitly made a promise to steer and coordinate the investments in science and technology for the benefit of ‘innovation making’. STIP, 2013 wishes to facilitate the construction of a strong and viable Science, Research and Innovation System for High Technology-led path for India, named as SRISHTI in the document. STIP, 2013 also recommends to the constituents of the Indian STI sector ‘to accelerate the pace of discovery and delivery of science-led solutions for serving the country for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth’.