Archive · 24 Dec 2025
India's Innovation Success Amid Constraints
India is doing really well in innovation, even though it doesn't spend as much money as other countries.
Scientists and engineers in India are creating new things and getting patents, even with fewer resources.
However, schools in India don't always encourage students to ask questions and be curious.
This is important because asking questions helps people come up with new ideas.
If India wants to keep being innovative, it needs to make sure students can ask questions and explore without fear.
This way, India can keep making big discoveries and inventions.
India ranks 38th on the Global Innovation Index (2025) despite low per-capita investment in research and education.
India saw a 16.5% increase in patent applications in 2024, driven mainly by domestic innovators.
India's performance in global assessments like PISA was below the OECD average in 2009, and it has largely stayed out of these comparisons since.
Indian classrooms often discourage curiosity, focusing more on exam performance than on questioning and exploration.
Reviving curiosity in classrooms is seen as key to transitioning from efficient innovation to transformative innovation.
- Who
- Indian scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and students
- What
- India's innovation outputs and educational constraints
- When
- 2025 (Global Innovation Index), 2024 (patent growth), 2009 (last PISA participation)
- Where
- India
- Why
- To understand India's innovation success despite limited investment and educational challenges
- Global Innovation Index Rank
- 38th (2025)
- Patent Applications Growth (2024)
- 16.5% increase
- PISA Participation
- Last participated in 2009
- Key Innovation Drivers
- Scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs
- Primary Patent Filers
- Domestic innovators