The Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID) is a public-funded, autonomous institution dedicated to conducting policy research, advocacy, capacity-building, and outreach activities to foster the industrial transformation of India.
Registered on October 7, 1986, under the Indian Societies Registration Act 1860, ISID in 1988, became one of the institutions that are supported by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), (Government of India), through grants-in-aid. Since 2006, the Institute operates from its own well-appointed campus located in the Vasant Kunj Institutional Area in South Delhi.
ISID is recognized as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO) by the Government of India. It is also listed on DARPAN portal of NITI Aayog (India’s Planning Agency) as a recognized think-tank. It is also a member of the Asia-Pacific Research Network on Trade (ARTNet) and the South Asia Network on SDGs (SANS) of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). ISID’s Databases and e-resources are accessed by the academic community across the country through the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) Centre of the University Grant Commission (UGC).
ISID: Policy Research to Foster India’s Industrial Transformation Manufacturing-led transformation has been an important pathway to prosperity globally—employed by developed countries such as the US, Germany, and Japan, as well as newly industrialised countries such as the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and China.
As India embarks on achieving its aspiration to achieve a developed country status by 2047, the manufacturing sector seems to be an answer to creating decent jobs for its youthful population and fostering inclusive prosperity.
ISID seeks to support India’s manufacturing-led transformation through its policy research, advocacy, capacity-building and outreach activities.
Research Themes & Key Projects Theme Activity Industrial Structure, Policies, Employment, and Statistics The India Industrial Development Reports (IIDRs) Future of Manufacturing in South Asia: Inputs for the UNIDO’s Industrial Development Report 2025-26 Strategies for Escaping the Middle Income Trap Revamping the Industrial Statistics Role of Public Sector in India in the Changed Global Context Trends in Corporate Performance in the Manufacturing Sector Leveraging MSMEs and Start-ups for Industrial Transformation Envisioning the Role of MSMEs in India’s Industrial Transformation Towards Resilient and Sustained Growth of the MSME Sector in India: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Job Creation: A Study of India’s Start-ups Ecosystem Financial Accessibility, Institutional Environment and Participation of MSMEs in the GVCs Informal Enterprises and MSMEs in Textiles and Clothing Value-chain UK-India Bilateral Trade in Fintech and Fintech-Enabled Services: Emerging Trends and Potential for Growth Globalization, FDI, Trade and GVC Participation Deepening India’s Integration with the Japanese and Korean GVCs Leveraging FDI for India’s Industrial Transformation: Magnitudes, Quality, Challenges and Opportunities Liberalisation, International Trade, and Industrial Productivity in Indian Manufacturing Enhancing the Effectiveness of India’s Trade Agreements with South Korea and Japan Strategy for Leveraging ASEAN FTA and Trade Potential with the Middle East Countries for Pharma Sector in India Technology, Innovation and Industry 4.0 R&D Scenario in Indian Pharma Industry to meet the Global Challenges Emergence of a Leading Global Innovative Firm from India Empowering MSMEs through IPR Awareness and Management Technological Changes, Skill Requirement and Labour Demand in the Construction Sector Determinants of Innovation by Indian Enterprises Green Industrialization Towards a Green Industrial Strategy for India and other Emerging Economies Enhancing the Policy Space for Sustainable Industrialization: Issues for the G-20 Agenda Identifying Enablers for Green Transition of MSMEs in India Sustainable Industrialization and Innovation: Accelerating SDG-9 Achievement in South Asia Spatial Dimensions of Industrial Development and Industrial Infrastructure Trends in Inter-Regional Disparities in Indian Manufacturing Exploring the Product Space Map of the Indian Manufacturing Landscape of Regional Manufacturing in India: Reflections from Commodity Flow Analysis Spatial Dynamics of Manufacturing Landscape in India: A District Level Comparative Analysis of Pre- and Post-Reform Contexts Regional Disparities across States in IndiaSectoral Studies on Competitiveness of Indian Manufacturing Rapid Growth of Labour-intensive Sectors in India-Textiles, Leather, Gems and Jewellery and Food Processing Make-in-India: An Assessment of the Impact on Six Manufacturing Sectors Fostering Medical Device Industry of India Import Dependence, Technology Gaps and International Competitiveness of Indian Electrical Equipment Industry Electrical Equipment Sector: Technology Gaps, Technology Transfer, and Import Dependence Non-Electrical Machinery Industry: Technological Change and Competitiveness in Machine Tools Industry Automobile Industry: Technology, Changing Product Lines and Policy Initiatives
Conferences Policy Dialogues and Research Seminars National Conferences on India's Industrial Transformation
ISID instituted, in 2023, an annual series of flagship conferences on India’s industrialization at which policy makers, industry leaders as well as young researchers from across the top institutions in the country present their insights and research.
Policy Dialogues
ISID organizes policy roundtables with senior exports and policy makers on themes of contemporary relevance throughout the year.
Research Seminars
ISID Seminar Series provides a platform to in-house as well as outside researchers to present their new research.
Capacity-Building Activities ISID-JNU PhD Programme in Economics and Public Policy
As an apex national institute focused on industrialization, ISID has launched a specialized PhD Programme. Started in 2024-25 in partnership with the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) which will provide degree, the programme focuses on industrial development and related public policy for creation of much needed expertise in the country in this area. The two batches admitted so far, come from different parts of the country.
Capacity-Building Programmes for University Teachers and Researchers
ISID also organizes capacity-building and research methodology programmes focused on industrialization for faculty members and researchers of academic institutions, typically ranging for two-weeks but also shorter duration.
Publications Source: Reimagining India–Korea Economic Partnership: Pathways to Deeper Integration, edited by Reji K Joseph & Byungyul Park, published by ISID, KIET, December 2025. An ERIA-CII-ISID Study on India–Japan Economic Partnership for Resilient and Diversified Value Chains, Anita Prakash (Ed), Nagesh Kumar, Danish A Hashim, So Umezaki, Shiro Armstrong, and Samuel Hardwick, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, August 2025 FDI, MSMEs, Digitalization, and Green Industrialization: Challenges, Opportunities and Policy Lessons for India, Editors Nagesh Kumar, Satyaki Roy, Springer Singapore, March 2025 Inclusive Economic Growth in India: Inducing Prosperity and Ending Deprivations, Shiladitya Chatterjee, Routledge, December 2024 India Industrial Development Report 2024-25, by the research team of ISID, published by Academic Foundation, November 2024. EPW Special Issue on India's Industrial Transformation, guest edited by Prof Nagesh Kumar, Special Issue of Economic & Political Weekly (EPW), August 2024. Anjali Tandon, (2023), “Labour and Capital Use in Indian Manufacturing: Structural Aspects”, Routledge, India. Shailender Kumar Hooda, (2022), “Health Sector, State and Decentralised Institutions in India”, Routledge, India. Saraswathy, B (2018), “The Globalisation of Indian Business: Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions in Indian Manufacturing”, Routledge, UK.*
The Facilities
The Campus and Research Facilities
ISID is equipped with a well-stocked library, specialized in documentation and databases on industrialization and development. It maintains its own databases on industrial development which are accessed by other academic institutions through INFLIBNET of UGC. ISID also has state-of-the-art conferencing facilities and a guest house to facilitate residential academic activities.
See also
Deindustrialisation Division of labour Great Divergence Idea of Progress Newly industrialised country Urbanisation
References
External links