Inviting feedback and suggestions on the Base Paper on “Framework for Measuring the Contribution of Knowledge and Knowledge Products to the Indian Economy”
New Delhi : The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has initiated a first-of-its-kind exercise to develop a framework for measuring the contribution of knowledge and knowledge-based products to the Indian economy amid rapid technological changes and evolving skill demands.
Recognising the increasing role of knowledge in driving economic growth, the Ministry aims to assess how knowledge contributes to the economy and formulate policy measures to better capture its changing dynamics. Since no comparable framework currently exists, the initiative is being developed with inputs from experts and stakeholders across sectors.
Following recommendations made during a meeting chaired by Principal Scientific Advisor Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood in February 2025, a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was constituted under the chairmanship of Dr. R Balasubramaniam. The group included representatives from think tanks, academia, industry bodies and Central Government ministries.
A brainstorming workshop held in September 2025 focused on developing a taxonomy of knowledge products and identifying quantitative indicators and data sources to measure their contribution to GDP. Based on recommendations from the TAG and consultations with experts, MoSPI has prepared a Base Paper titled “Framework for Measuring the Contribution of Knowledge and Knowledge Products to the Indian Economy.”
The paper has been divided into four chapters covering conceptual aspects of the knowledge economy, methodologies for assessing research and development, intellectual property rights, digital economy and academic output, dimensions of India’s traditional knowledge systems, and a proposed framework for valuing the contribution of knowledge to the economy.
As part of the next phase of the exercise, MoSPI has constituted a Committee on Knowledge Systems under the chairmanship of Shri Ratan P. Watal to prepare an actionable policy paper on the proposed framework. The Base Paper will serve as the foundation for the committee’s recommendations.
The Ministry has invited comments and suggestions from stakeholders and the general public on the Base Paper by June 15, 2026, as part of the consultation process aimed at finalising the framework.