Centre for Policy Research
Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is a non-profit, non-partisan Indian policy think tank, founded in 1973 in New Delhi, that conducts multi-disciplinary policy research and disseminates it through publications, events and a podcast to government, academia, civil society and the public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Centre for Policy Research does
The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is a non-profit, non-partisan, independent policy think tank established in 1973 and headquartered in New Delhi (Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri). It generates research that targets evidence-based policymaking in India through publications, events, and direct advisory work, serving government policymakers, academic researchers, civil society, and the general public. Core outputs include policy briefs and reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, working papers, books, book chapters, blogs, opinion pieces, and the 'India Speak' podcast; CPR also runs dedicated research initiatives covering transboundary rivers (TREADS), cities/economy/society, land rights, and politics, plus events ranging from workshops to film screenings across 20+ thematic areas including climate change, governance, health, water, urbanisation and international relations. The business model is grant-funded: CPR is registered as a not-for-profit society under the Government of India and receives contributions from domestic and international sources, including the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the World Bank, IDRC, and corporate philanthropy. All research and events are made available free of charge; faculty directly contribute to governmental committees, task forces, and legislative drafting. CPR has faced significant regulatory headwinds since a September 2022 Income Tax survey: the Ministry of Home Affairs suspended its FCRA status in February 2023 and cancelled it on 10 January 2024, materially constraining access to foreign funding.
Centre for Policy Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Centre for Policy Research
- Legal name
- Centre for Policy Research
- Website
- https://cprindia.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is a non-profit, non-partisan Indian policy think tank, founded in 1973 in New Delhi, that conducts multi-disciplinary policy research and disseminates it through publications, events and a podcast to government, academia, civil society and the public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Centre for Policy Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Research & Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN)
Keywords
Where Centre for Policy Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Centre for Policy Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grants and Funding: CPR receives grants from a variety of domestic and international sources, including foundations, corporate philanthropy, governments, and multilateral agencies. It receives grants from the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) and is a Department of Science and Technology (DST) recognised institution.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Centre for Policy Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Centre for Policy Research conducts independent, non-partisan public policy research and provides advisory inputs to Indian central and state governments. It produces a portfolio of research publications — policy briefs and reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, working papers, books and book chapters — and runs thematic research initiatives, podcasts, and convening events that bridge academic scholarship with policy design and implementation.
Product overview
The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is one of India's leading public policy think tanks established in 1973. CPR operates as a non-profit, non-partisan, independent research institution that does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of research publications and programs. The core offerings include Policy Briefs & Reports, Journal Articles, Working Papers, and the India Speak: The CPR Podcast for audio content. CPR also conducts Events and Workshops featuring expert discussions on policy issues. The organization maintains several focused Research Initiatives including TREADS (Transboundary Rivers, Ecologies & Development Studies), the Initiative on Cities Economy & Society, the Land Rights Initiative, and The Politics Initiative. These initiatives conduct in-depth research across thematic areas spanning climate change, governance, health, education, water policy, and urban development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Policy Briefs & Reports
- Journal Articles
- Working Papers
- India Speak: The CPR Podcast
- Events and Workshops
- TREADS: Transboundary Rivers, Ecologies & Development Studies
- Initiative on Cities, Economy & Society
- Land Rights Initiative
- The Politics Initiative
Quantifiable outcome
- Led to drafting of important legislations and enabling reforms
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Centre for Policy Research
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Centre for Policy Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Centre for Policy Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, moderate and minor.
- NamatimajorOrganisation focused on governance and justice. CPR-Namati Environmental Justice Program collaboration documented in multiple publications.
- Brown UniversitymoderateAcademic institution partnership for research collaboration.
- The New SchoolmoderateAcademic institution partnership for research and scholarly exchange.
- IGIDRminorIndira Gandhi Institute of Development Research - academic research collaboration.
- Centre de Sciences Humaines (CSH)moderateFrench research institute in India. Co-hosting workshop on Amaravati and India's Urban Future.
- IDFCmoderateInfrastructure finance company involved in 3iNetwork consortium with IIT Kanpur and IIM Ahmedabad.
- Lincoln Institute of Land PolicymoderateInternational research organisation focused on land policy. Collaboration noted in climate governance research.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Centre for Policy Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI): A larger, established Indian research institution with overlapping climate, energy and sustainable-development mandates. TERI overlaps with CPR's environment, water and energy research areas but operates at significantly greater scale and with broader programmatic scope.
- Brookings Institution: A leading global policy think tank that previously operated Brookings India in New Delhi. Comparable as a higher-edjacent policy research institution with similar multidisciplinary coverage, though at substantially greater scale and international footprint than CPR.
Direct peers
- Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations: Mumbai-based independent foreign-policy and economics think tank. Shares CPR's focus on Indian foreign policy, governance and international affairs, and competes for similar philanthropic funding, scholar engagement and media visibility.
- Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER): New Delhi-based economic policy think tank focused on trade, investment, agriculture and climate. ICRIER shares CPR's policy-research orientation, government-engagement model, and overlapping board (Ashok Gulati is on both ICRIER and CPR boards), making it a strong operational peer.
- Observer Research Foundation (ORF): One of India's largest and most active non-partisan think tanks headquartered in New Delhi. ORF is the closest direct peer to CPR, operating across similar foreign policy, governance, and domestic policy verticals and competing for the same government committee placements and donor funding.
- National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): India's oldest economic policy think tank, conducting data-driven research on growth, taxation, and governance. Directly comparable to CPR on policy rigor, government engagement, and multi-decade institutional legacy, though with a stronger quantitative/economics tilt.
- Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA): New Delhi-based foreign-policy think tank established by the Government of India. CPR's board member T. C. A. Raghavan is a former ICWA Director General, evidencing direct personnel overlap and a shared foreign-policy and international-relations research agenda.
- IDFC Foundation: Indian think tank focused on infrastructure, finance, and sustainable urbanization, co-led with IIT Kanpur and IIM Ahmedabad via the 3iNetwork. CPR is a documented partner in this consortium, making IDFC a closely collaborating peer rather than a distant comparable.
Others
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major US-headquartered think tank with a former India center (Carnegie India) that directly competed with CPR in Delhi-based policy research. Although Carnegie India closed in 2023, Carnegie Endowment remains a comparable global incumbent in policy research methodology and convening.
Emerging players
- Asia Society Policy Institute: New York-based policy arm of the Asia Society focused on issues including India's role in Asia. Comparable to CPR through its policy research output and convening power in Asia-related foreign policy, though with a narrower India mandate and US institutional base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Centre for Policy Research social profiles
Digital presenceCentre for Policy Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Centre for Policy Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Centre for Policy Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Centre for Policy Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Centre for Policy Research
What does Centre for Policy Research do?
The Centre for Policy Research conducts independent, non-partisan public policy research and provides advisory inputs to Indian central and state governments. It produces a portfolio of research publications — policy briefs and reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, working papers, books and book chapters — and runs thematic research initiatives, podcasts, and convening events that bridge academic scholarship with policy design and implementation.
Is Centre for Policy Research a public or private company?
Centre for Policy Research is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Centre for Policy Research founded?
Centre for Policy Research was founded in 1973.
Where is Centre for Policy Research based?
Centre for Policy Research is headquartered in New Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
How does Centre for Policy Research make money?
One revenue line is on record: grants and Funding.
Who are Centre for Policy Research's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Brookings Institution. Direct peers are Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), Observer Research Foundation (ORF), National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and IDFC Foundation. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is listed as an others. Asia Society Policy Institute is listed as an emerging player.
Does Centre for Policy Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Centre for Policy Research.
What industry is Centre for Policy Research in?
Centre for Policy Research's product category is Policy Research & Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAO, Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes, with a secondary code of BPAHALAF, Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research. Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 2741.