NITI Aayog Charts India’s Next Leap in Innovation With Landmark Report

India’s innovation story is no longer a quiet narrative unfolding in research labs or startup garages. It is now a movement shaping the country’s economic, social, and technological future. On Tuesday, this journey received a powerful new chapter with NITI Aayog unveiling its latest report — “Pathways to Progress: Analysis and Insights into India’s Innovation Story.”

The report does more than just document achievements; it sets a vision. It lays out where India stands today in science, technology, and entrepreneurship, and more importantly, where it aspires to go — positioning itself as a global hub for knowledge-driven growth.

A Mirror and a Roadmap

Described as a “landmark” study, the report offers a panoramic view of India’s innovation ecosystem — from cutting-edge research and technology adoption to grassroots ingenuity and entrepreneurial ventures. It captures national and state-level initiatives, highlights the role of industries, and benchmarks India against global innovation rankings.

But beyond being a mirror reflecting progress, it acts as a roadmap, identifying systemic challenges, untapped opportunities, and actionable pathways to strengthen the country’s innovation capacity.

At the launch, the emphasis was not only on celebrating achievements but also on accelerating the momentum.

• Deepak Bagla, Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), underlined AIM’s role in nurturing talent and cultivating a vibrant startup culture across the nation. “Scaling innovation and entrepreneurial energy is no longer optional; it’s central to India’s growth story,” he noted.

• V.K. Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog, stressed that the report would serve as an evidence-based tool for policymakers, bridging academia, industry, and government in a more cohesive manner.

• Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science & Technology, added perspective by pointing out that innovation in India is not restricted to frontier technologies like AI or biotechnology but cuts across sectors — from agriculture to manufacturing. He highlighted the government’s push to accelerate technology development and commercialization to address pressing real-world problems.

• Delivering the keynote, Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, called for India to claim its rightful position as a global leader in knowledge, science, and technology. He stressed the need to leverage India’s demographic dividend — its youth — and institutional strengths to build scalable, inclusive, and globally competitive innovations.

Inter-Ministerial Commitment

The presence of Secretaries from the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), and Department of School Education & Literacy (DSEL), alongside senior NITI Aayog officials, reinforced a clear message: India’s innovation journey is not the effort of a single ministry but a coordinated national mission.

What's Next?

The report lays down a forward-looking framework that includes:

• Scaling successful models across states to ensure that innovation is not concentrated in a few regions but democratised nationwide.

• Fostering deep-tech innovation, from artificial intelligence and space tech to clean energy solutions.

• Strengthening knowledge creation by encouraging research and development across academia and industry.

• Enhancing global integration, so India not only benefits from global collaboration but also leads in shaping the innovation agenda.

• Expanding grassroots and institutional innovation capacity, ensuring that local solutions continue to drive inclusive growth.

By releasing this report, NITI Aayog reaffirmed its vision of steering India toward becoming a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy. The timing could not be more crucial. As India aspires to become a $5 trillion economy and a global leader in science and technology, this report provides a compass for policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and educators alike.

It signals that India’s innovation story is not just about creating world-class technologies but also about ensuring these solutions are inclusive, impactful, and transformative — for India, and for the world.