India vs South Africa: Research and development expenditure

India
0.6%
in 2020
South Africa
0.6%
in 2022
India rank
54th
South Africa rank
56th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • India
  • South Africa
00.20.40.60.8199620092022

How they compare

India currently reports 0.6% against 0.6% in South Africa, a difference of 0.0%.

That makes India's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 20 shared years of data; in 1997 it was India ahead.

India ranks 54th and South Africa ranks 56th of 116 countries.

India has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade India South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 0.7% 0.5% 0.2% India
2000s 0.8% 0.7% 0.0% India
2010s 0.7% 0.7% 0.0% India
2020s 0.6% 0.6% 0.0% India

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, India or South Africa?
India, at 0.6% against 0.6% in South Africa as of 2020.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between India and South Africa?
0.0%, with India ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Africa?
20 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2020.
How do India and South Africa rank globally for research and development expenditure?
India ranks 54th and South Africa ranks 56th of 116 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Research and development expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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India vs South Africa: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/india/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 3,092 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.