New Delhi

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday called for greater participation from private industry in India’s research and innovation ecosystem, saying the current investment pattern—where the government contributes nearly 70 per cent of research funding—must gradually move towards a more balanced public-private model.

Addressing the inaugural session of the IIT Madras Technology Summit 2026 in the national capital, Pradhan said India’s long-term innovation strategy should aim for equal participation from the government and industry to speed up technological advancement and expand its impact.

“At present, nearly 70 per cent of research investment comes from the government, which reflects strong public commitment. Going forward, we must work towards a 50:50 partnership between public institutions and industry to build a stronger innovation ecosystem,” he said.

The summit, themed “From IITM. For Bharat. Building Together,” was attended by Union Minister of State for Education and Skill Development (Independent Charge) Jayant Chaudhary, senior government officials, industry leaders and academics.

Pradhan said India’s innovation landscape is at a critical stage and stressed that research must move beyond academic publications and translate into products, technologies and solutions that directly benefit society.

He noted that while Indian talent continues to make global contributions in science and technology, the country must ask why much of that innovation is not being created and commercialised domestically.

“Science and technology must become central to national development, with innovation focused on solving real human challenges,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s push for research and development, Pradhan referred to the proposed Rs 1 lakh crore research and development fund aimed at supporting private industry and start-ups.

He said premier institutions such as the IITs have already played a major role in creating successful start-ups and unicorns, but pointed out a significant gap in domestic technology ownership.

“A large amount of technology developed by Indian talent overseas is eventually bought back by Indian industries from foreign markets. This underlines the need to build, own and scale our own products within India,” he said.

Pradhan also highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s start-up ecosystem, noting that the number of start-ups has grown from a few hundred a decade ago to over 2.5 lakh, while India’s ranking in the Global Innovation Index has improved from 85th to 38th.

He reiterated the government’s vision of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047 and said the country’s development model could serve as a blueprint for nations of the Global South.

Commending IIT Madras for its research-led initiatives, the minister said educational institutions must remain connected to societal needs and effectively communicate their contributions to nation-building.

“Building Bharat is not confined to geographical boundaries. It means creating sustainable solutions for the world, particularly for the poor and for countries in the Global South,” he said.

IIT Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti described the summit as a platform to bring together academia, industry and corporate partners to shape India’s future through innovation.

He said IIT Madras continues to lead in high-impact research through its Institute of Eminence initiatives, Centres of Excellence and innovation hubs, generating patents, publications, funding and start-up ventures.

Prof Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Madras, said the institute’s success stems from translating research into practical solutions with measurable social impact.

During the inaugural session, IIT Madras also unveiled the book “Inventing a Better Tomorrow: 25 Years of IIT Madras Impact,” chronicling the institute’s contributions to research, innovation and nation-building.

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The institute additionally announced Bodhan AI, a new Centre of Excellence focused on artificial intelligence in education, established as a Section 8 company with support from the Ministry of Education.