Who We Are

India Institute is an independent, not-for-profit research think tank, registered as a public charitable trust in India. Founded in November 2010, we are committed to a simple idea: that free individuals, accountable institutions, and evidence-informed policy make for a more just and prosperous society.

We believe in the dignity and agency of every person. We believe in the rule of law, in limited government that enables rather than constrains, and in the freedom of individuals to make meaningful choices about their own lives. These convictions shape which problems we study and how we engage with the world – but our research follows evidence, not ideology. We say what the data says.

Over fifteen years, India Institute has worked across the country – on private schooling in Bihar, legal literacy in Delhi, property rights and blockchain technology at the national level, and more recently on critical thinking, parental engagement, and social equity measurement in South India. We have worked in Hindi, Tamil, and several other Indian languages. Our research questions, our advocacy, and our ambitions are national.

We have conducted research and advocacy in collaboration with universities, civil society organisations, and government bodies in India and abroad. International partnerships have included Newcastle University in the United Kingdom and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. Our research has been recognized with the Templeton Freedom Award (2012) and the Think Tank Shark Tank Global Winner award (2014).

Our Partners

• Newcastle University, United Kingdom
• Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
• Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS)
• Christ University Bangalore
• Center for the Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania