CSIR

What CSIR does

CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) is India's premier national R&D organization, established in 1942 as a statutory body under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, with the Prime Minister serving as President. It operates a network of 38 national laboratories and over 10,000 employees covering biotechnology, chemical technology, road research, aerospace, food technology, petroleum research, environmental monitoring, and quantum sensing. The organization is recognized among the world's largest publicly funded R&D bodies and is responsible for foundational assets including the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) with over 250,000 Indian formulations.

CSIR's core technology portfolio spans indigenous innovations including the Hansa-3 (NG) civil trainer aircraft (CSIR-NAL), bio-bitumen production from agricultural residues (CSIR-CRRI/CSIR-IIP), dimethyl ether production via indigenous catalyst (CSIR-NCL), Emergency Power Restoration Systems (CSIR-SERC), high-protein designer rice with 20%+ protein content (CSIR-NIIST), low glycemic index flour, bioplastics recycling, Bio-ATF sustainable aviation fuel, and AI-LSEI vehicular emission monitoring. Granted patents cover bio-bitumen, EPRS, designer rice, and TKDL data assets, with filed applications in DME production. The Hansa-3 aircraft alone has secured over 110 Letters of Intent from Flying Training Organisations at approximately Rs 3 crore per unit.

CSIR's business model is anchored on three revenue streams: (1) primary government funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology, supplemented by international grants (AFD, EU Global Gateway); (2) technology licensing and transfer to industry partners, with named customers including TATA Consumer Products, BigBasket, Oil India Limited, SS Soul Foods, and DRDO; and (3) sponsored research and consultancy for government agencies, industry, and international organizations. The organization operates a startup incubation pipeline via BioNEST (26 startups supported as of March 2026, 12 patents filed) and the annual RISE Conclave, which connects research output to venture capital and commercialization partners. Distribution occurs through direct licensing, government implementation, and incubation-supported commercialization rather than conventional product sales channels.

Name

CSIR

Legal name

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

Website

https://csirhrdg.res.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

CSIR is India's premier national R&D organization operating 38 national laboratories across aerospace, biotechnology, food technology, energy, and infrastructure. It develops indigenous technologies and transfers them to industry partners including TATA Consumer Products, Oil India, and DRDO through licensing and sponsored research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Research and Development

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific Technical & Certification Prep (e.g., Construction, Manufacturing, Energy) (EDAGANAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rapid On-Site Environmental Testing Kits & Instruments (Lateral Flow, PCR, ATP Devices) (AFALAEAK), Scientific & Laboratory Reference (Chemistry, Biology, Physics; Methods & Protocols) (EDAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Scientific research and development
• Indigenous technology development
• Technology transfer licensing
• Aerospace engineering research
• Industrial biotechnology solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CSIR operates as a publicly funded R&D organization with primary funding from the Government of India, Ministry of Science and Technology. The organization receives budget allocations for conducting scientific research and technology development across its network of laboratories.
2. International Grants: CSIR receives grants from international development organizations such as the French development bank AFD for specific projects like South Africa's energy transition efforts.
3. Technology Transfer: CSIR transfers technologies developed by its laboratories to industry partners through formal technology transfer agreements, generating revenue through licensing fees and creating commercial partnerships.
4. Sponsored Research: CSIR conducts sponsored research projects for government agencies, industry partners, and international organizations, receiving funding for specific technology development outcomes.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CSIR is India's premier national R&D organization conducting multi-disciplinary scientific research across 38 national laboratories covering aerospace, biotechnology, chemical technology, food technology, petroleum, environmental science, and quantum sensing. The organization develops indigenous technologies and transfers them to industry partners through formal licensing agreements, while also providing sponsored research services to government agencies and industrial customers. Its portfolio includes products such as the Hansa-3 aircraft, bio-bitumen, DME production technology, emergency power restoration systems, and food processing innovations.

Product overview

CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) is India's premier national R&D organisation comprising multiple specialized laboratories, offering a diverse portfolio of technology products and services. The portfolio includes aerospace (Hansa-3 aircraft by CSIR-NAL), energy (DME production technology, EPRS, Bio-ATF), agriculture (E-Tractor/E-Tiller, Designer Rice), infrastructure (Bio-bitumen, Indigenous Building Technologies, pothole repair solutions), environment (AI-LSEI pollution monitoring), and food technology (Low GI flour, bioplastics recycling). CSIR-HRDG also operates fellowship and grant programmes for human resource development in science and technology. The organization focuses on translating scientific research into commercially viable products through technology transfer events and industry partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RISE Conclave: Research, Industry, Start-up and Entrepreneurship conclave organized by CSIR to connect research institutions with industries and startups
• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize
• CSIR Young Scientist Award

Products and services

• Hansa-3 (NG) Aircraft India's first indigenously built civil aircraft developed by CSIR-NAL, designed for flying training organisations at approximately Rs 3 crore, roughly half the cost of comparable imported trainer aircraft.
• Emergency Power Restoration System (EPRS) India's first fully indigenous emergency power restoration system developed by CSIR-SERC Chennai for rapid power restoration during natural disasters when transmission towers collapse, restoring electricity within 3 days versus 2-3 months.
• DME Production Technology Patent-protected dimethyl ether production process using indigenous catalyst developed by CSIR-NCL, enabling DME as an alternative to LPG that can blend with LPG without requiring changes to existing household infrastructure.
• Bio-bitumen Technology Jointly developed by CSIR-CRRI and CSIR-IIP, converts agricultural residues into renewable bio-bitumen as a substitute for petroleum-based bitumen in road construction, with potential to save approximately Rs 4,500 crore in foreign exchange through 15% blending.
• Designer Rice Technology High-protein rice developed by CSIR-NIIST using food-processing technology with over 20% protein content versus 6-8% in conventional rice, featuring low glycemic index below 55 and fortified with iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12.
• Low Glycemic Index Flour Low GI flour developed by CSIR-CFTRI in partnership with BigBasket, blending wheat, soya, buckwheat, Bengal dal, psyllium husk, oats, and fenugreek with confirmed in vivo GI of less than 45.
• Indigenous Building Technologies 13 building technologies transferred by CSIR-CBRI covering fire safety, sustainable construction, infrastructure protection, energy efficiency, and advanced building materials including fire-resistant transparent intumescent coating, low-carbon brick manufacturing, and hybrid solar-assisted heat pump systems.
• E-Tractor and E-Tiller Electric-powered farm equipment developed by CSIR-CMERI for small and marginal farmers, offering clean, cost-effective, low-maintenance alternative to conventional diesel equipment with features designed for women farmers including reduced vibration.
• AI-LSEI Dashboard AI-Integrated Line Source Emission Inventory dashboard that uses existing traffic cameras to detect and monitor vehicle pollution in real time, classifying vehicles and calculating emissions of pollutants including PM, NOx, CO, and hydrocarbons.
• Bio-ATF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Technology Bio-ATF technology developed by CSIR-IIP Dehradun using non-edible vegetable oils and used cooking oil, validated through SpiceJet test flights with 25% blended SAF and Indian Air Force flights with 10% blended SAF.
• Bioplastics Recycling Technology Sustainable and scalable process developed by CSIR-NCL for segregating and recycling bioplastic composites, enabling selective separation and recovery of individual polymers from composite waste streams while preserving molecular integrity.
• Quantum Sensing Technologies Quantum sensing technologies transferred to DRDO along with environmental monitoring capabilities as part of CSIR's technology transfer event, supporting measurement accuracy and reduced import dependence.
• Pothole Repair Technologies Three pothole repair technologies developed by CSIR-CRRI: Ecofix (steel-slag-based pothole repair mix), Rejupave Rejuvenator (for road resurfacing), and MSS+ (cold-mix surfacing technology) for automated road maintenance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rs 4,500 crore annual foreign exchange savings through 15% bio-bitumen blending
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• IIT BhubaneswarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026IIT Bhubaneswar and CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CSIR-CBRI) signed an MoU for research collaboration in building science, civil engineering, and sustainable infrastructure covering joint research projects, faculty and student internships, and shared research facilities.
• DRDOmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026CSIR transferred seven technologies to industry partners, released ten indigenous standards, and handed over key components for quantum sensing to DRDO at an event in New Delhi.
• Oil India LimitedmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Oil India Limited signed an MoU with CSIR to drive collaborative research and technology development in the energy sector focusing on upstream and downstream operations, enhanced oil recovery, renewable energy, and critical minerals.
• Bosch, NVIDIA, IBM Quantum, Tata Advanced Systems, L&T DefencecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 June 2026RISE Conclave 2026 brings together research institutions, industries, start-ups, policymakers, and investors including experts from Bosch, NVIDIA, IBM Quantum, Tata Advanced Systems, and L&T Defence for thematic sessions on aerospace, AI, and agri-food innovation.
• Norway (SINTEF, Research Council of Norway)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026India and Norway signed agreements including MoU between DSIR/CSIR and Research Council of Norway, 2026-2029 collaboration between CSIR and Norwegian research organization SINTEF, with CSIR providing funding of nearly Rs 341 lakh for offshore wind and ocean energy projects.
• ScaNxt Scientific TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026ScaNxt Scientific Technologies, an IIT-Kanpur-incubated startup, signed MoU with CSIR-CMERI and NRDC to commercialize India's first indigenously developed 100% electric compact tractor.
• Oil India and CSIR-IMMTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Oil India and CSIR-IMMT signed an MoU for joint R&D projects in the critical minerals sector to support India's National Critical Mineral Mission and secure access to key minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements.
• BigBasket (bb Royal)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026CSIR-CFTRI partnered with BigBasket's private label brand bb Royal to commercialize low glycemic index flour 'bb Royal Slow Sugar Release Atta' with clinical tests confirming in vivo GI of less than 45.
• Oil India LimitedmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Oil India and CSIR-IMMT joined hands for Critical Minerals R&D to align with India's National Critical Mineral Mission.
• Science City of Andhra PradeshminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Science City of Andhra Pradesh signed MoU with CSIR-NIScPR to collaborate on science communication and research, promoting scientific activities, policy research, and STEM education in the region.
• Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research (SRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute and Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research signed MoU to collaborate on geothermal energy exploration including joint research, pilot plant development at geothermal sites, and developing indigenous technologies.
• TATA Consumer Products LimitedmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026TCPL formalized technology transfers and a sponsored research agreement with CSIR-NIIST acquiring three indigenously developed food and nutrition technologies: Smarter Rice Technology, Coffee Crema Technology, and Low Sodium Salt Innovation.
• NDMA, AcSIRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026NDMA, AcSIR and CSIR-NIScPR signed MoU to strengthen education, research, training and policy development in disaster management, launching a PhD Programme in Disaster Management.
• SS Soul FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026CSIR-NIIST transferred designer rice technology to SS Soul Foods along with TATA Consumer Products for commercialization of high-protein, low glycemic index rice products.
• Indian National Science Academy (INSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026INSA and CSIR-NIScPR signed MoU to collaborate on science policy research and communication, promoting evidence-based policymaking and strengthening India's science and innovation ecosystem.
• Panacea Biotech, Biocon, Zydus LifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Industry Academia Meet at CSIR-IIIM featured deliberations on fermentation technologies, cannabis policies, and bioprocess scalability with pharmaceutical companies including Panacea Biotech, Biocon Ltd., and Zydus Life.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS): France's largest publicly funded scientific research organisation covering all fields of science; comparable in scope, public funding model, and breadth of disciplines to CSIR.
• SRI International: U.S.-based non-profit scientific research institute with broad multi-disciplinary R&D portfolio and significant government and commercial contract work; comparable operating model to CSIR's sponsored research + tech transfer mix.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO): India's other premier government R&D organisation operating a network of national laboratories under the Ministry of Defence; directly comparable to CSIR as a publicly funded multi-disciplinary R&D entity transferring technologies to industry partners (CSIR transfers quantum sensing components to DRDO).
• Max Planck Society: Germany's leading basic research organisation with 86 institutes; comparable as a publicly funded multi-disciplinary research network producing peer-reviewed science and transferring innovation to industry.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: U.S.-based non-profit R&D organisation managing national laboratories for the Department of Energy; comparable as a non-government operator of public-interest research with significant technology transfer activity.
• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's largest applied research organisation, operating ~75 institutes with applied R&D and technology transfer to industry; most structurally comparable international peer to CSIR's 38-lab applied-research-and-licensing model.
• Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS): China's largest national R&D organisation operating 100+ institutes across physical, biological, and engineering sciences; comparable scale and mandate to CSIR as a publicly funded multi-disciplinary research body.
• Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS): Russia's national academy of sciences operating hundreds of research institutes across all major scientific disciplines; comparable in scale and public funding model to CSIR's national R&D mandate.
• National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST): Japan's largest public research organisation bridging academia and industry; comparable mandate to CSIR in applied industrial research and standards development.

Broad incumbents

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): U.S. federal agency that develops standards, measurements, and conducts lab research; comparable to CSIR-NPL's standards and measurement work, with broader scope across standards-setting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSIR_HRDG
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61585579637292
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csir-hrdg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries27 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CSIR