DSCI Launches TRL Compass to Speed Up Technology Innovation

The platform adapts the globally recognised nine-level Technology Readiness Level framework to India's specific research and industrial needs.

India has introduced a new national platform designed to help researchers, innovators and funding agencies evaluate the readiness of emerging technologies through a common scientific framework. The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) to the Government of India, in collaboration with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), launched the TRL Compass Platform on June 29 to standardise Technology Readiness Level (TRL) assessments across different sectors and strengthen the country's research and innovation ecosystem.

The initiative was launched under the chairmanship of Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood and is expected to provide a transparent and objective system for assessing technologies before they receive public funding or move towards commercialisation. The platform adapts the globally recognised nine-level Technology Readiness Level framework to India's specific research and industrial needs.

Common Framework for Evaluating Innovation

The TRL Compass has been developed to create a uniform national standard for evaluating research projects, replacing subjective assessments with evidence-based evaluations backed by technical documentation. The platform examines multiple aspects of technology development, including technological maturity, manufacturing readiness, quality standards and programme preparedness before projects progress to the next stage.

Initially, the framework includes dedicated assessment modules for the Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals sector as well as the Software industry, allowing evaluations to reflect the specific requirements of different technology domains.

The platform is expected to play an important role in implementing national programmes such as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, helping funding agencies make more consistent and informed decisions while encouraging high-quality research with commercial potential.

Supporting India's Innovation Ecosystem

Speaking at the launch, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood said India's journey towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 depends not only on producing scientific research but also on converting laboratory discoveries into technologies that can be deployed, manufactured and successfully commercialised.

He emphasised that a common framework for measuring technology readiness will help guide public investment, strengthen innovation and improve the translation of research into practical products and services. He encouraged research institutions and funding organisations to adopt TRL Compass as a standard tool for evaluating, reviewing and supporting technology development projects.

Scientific Secretary Dr. Parvinder Maini highlighted that many Indian innovations struggle to move from laboratories into the marketplace because there has been no common system for assessing technology maturity. She said the new platform creates a shared language for academia, industry and funding agencies, making technology transfer more efficient while encouraging greater focus on real-world applications.

Partnership to Build National Assessment Capacity

During the event, Rohit Gupta, Chief Technology Officer at OPSA, demonstrated how TRL Compass adapts the internationally accepted Technology Readiness Level methodology to suit India's expanding research and deep-technology ecosystem.

DSCI Chief Executive Officer Vinayak Godse said India is making significant investments in emerging technologies and deep-tech innovation, making it essential to establish a reliable framework for assessing technology readiness. He described TRL Compass as a timely initiative that complements DSCI's work in technology forecasting, capability mapping and horizon scanning.

The launch also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between OPSA and DSCI. Signed by Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser and Scientist 'G' at OPSA, and Vinayak Godse on behalf of DSCI, the agreement provides a framework for collaboration on technology readiness assessments, capability mapping and the development of a national Technology Radar methodology.

The partnership will also focus on creating a pool of trained TRL assessors and promoting wider adoption of the TRL Compass across India's research institutions, industries and innovation ecosystem.

To encourage broad participation, the complete TRL Compass framework, including assessment questionnaires and implementation guidance, has been made openly available to researchers, project investigators, reviewers and funding agencies across the country. By introducing a common national standard for technology evaluation, the platform is expected to strengthen research quality, improve funding decisions and accelerate the commercialisation of Indian innovations in the years ahead.