Deep Tech, R&D and IP Shaping India’s Next Big Leap

India today stands at an extraordinary moment in its growth story – a nation rising confidently on a new innovation curve, powered by technology, talent and the courage to think beyond convention. From space exploration to digital public infrastructure, from biotech breakthroughs to quantum ambitions, India is proving that innovation is not just its future, it is becoming its identity.

The country’s strategic focus on self-reliance, deep-tech capability, and IP creation signals a decisive shift from technology adoption to technology leadership, positioning India for a powerful role in the global innovation economy. And this idea of moving from dependence to dominance is about strength, resilience and the confidence to create solutions the world can depend on. It is about transforming India from a technology consumer into a technology creator.

This journey rests on three pillars:

Deep Tech: Where India’s Future Is Being Built

Deep Tech is often called “high risk, high reward,” but for India, it is far more, it is high impact, shaping industries, strengthening national capabilities, and defining the country’s emerging global tech identity. Whether it is advanced materials and critical minerals that power EVs, aerospace, and quantum chips; robotics and intelligent automation transforming factories, hospitals, and logistics; quantum technologies poised to secure India’s digital sovereignty; deep-sea systems unlocking the blue economy; or biotechnology reshaping healthcare, agriculture, and sustainability. India is building a Deep Tech foundation that goes beyond invention and moves into influence. With this expanding ecosystem of frontier technologies, India is rightly poised to become one of the world’s most trusted and transformative tech powers.

R&D Investment: Fuelling India’s Creativity and Courage

For decades, India’s R&D investment has remained modest compared to global innovation leaders, limiting the country’s ability to scale breakthrough ideas into world-class technologies. But this landscape is beginning to shift. With transformative initiatives such as the ANRF (Anusandhan National Research Foundation), dedicated Innovation Funds, mission-driven scientific programmes, and a renewed national focus on high-risk, high-impact research, India is signalling a decisive commitment to strengthen its innovation engine. These interventions are enabling deeper industry–academia collaboration, supporting frontier research, and unlocking resources for bold, long-term scientific pursuits. As these initiatives gain momentum, India is poised to elevate its R&D capacity to global standards, moving from incremental progress to true innovation leadership.

Intellectual Property: India’s Bridge to Global Leadership

In today’s economy, strength is measured not just by what you build, but by what you own. That’s where IP (Intellectual Property) becomes critical. Strong IP doesn’t just protect ideas, it multiplies them. It allows Indian companies to scale globally, attract investment, commercialize innovation, and build brands that carry trust. Strong IP doesn’t merely safeguard ideas, it amplifies them. It gives Indian companies the confidence to scale globally, attract investment, commercialise cutting-edge technologies, and build brands that the world can trust. In every sense, IP is the new currency of global leadership, and India is steadily increasing its stake.

Where India Stands Today: On the Edge of a Defining Decade

Put it all together – Deep Tech, R&D, and IP – and a powerful picture emerges.

We are not simply trying to catch up with the world. We are preparing to redefine it.

The move from dependence to dominance is not about aggression. It’s about aspiration. About building a nation where innovation is celebrated, where ideas become industries, and where technology becomes a force for inclusion, resilience, and pride.

CII Annual Summit on Technology & IP 2025

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will bring these conversations to the forefront at its Annual Summit on Technology & IP scheduled to be held on 16–17 December 2025 at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi.

The summit will bring together policymakers, CEOs, researchers, innovators, startups, investors, and global experts to explore how India can build the technological depth and IP strength required for its next big leap.

Expect deep-dive sessions, global best practices, India-focused strategies, and

powerful dialogues on Deep Tech, RDI, IP, and the future of AtmaNirbhar Bharat.

Join us as we shape India’s journey into a technology leader the world looks upto -.Register Here