List of think tanks in India


has the second-largest number of think tanks in the world, with the country's total hitting 509 in 2018 behind 1871 in USA and ahead of China, UK, and Argentina. Many of these are headquartered at its capital New Delhi and range from government aided organisations to privately funded ones.
Several Indian think tanks usually feature in the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index produced by the Lauder Institute of University of Pennsylvania. In 2018, the "Observer Research Foundation" was the highest ranked among the India-based think tanks.
The following is the list of notable Indian think tanks:
NameGlobal Rank SpecialisationFunding TypeCity Notes
Association for Democratic Reforms PoliticsNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Central Institute for Cotton Research AgricultureGovernmentNagpur ;
Sirsa
Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes Agriculture, Animal husbandaryGovernmentHisar
Central Sheep Breeding Farm Agriculture, Animal husbandaryGovernmentHisar
Centre for Asian Strategic Studies-India Politics, StrategyNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Centre for Air Power Studies 29 - Top Defence and National Security Think Tank - Worldwide
78 - Top Think Tanks in China, India, Japan,and the Republic of Korea 		Air Power, Cyber Security, Nuclear power, South Asia, International Relations, National Security, International SecurityNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Centre for Civil Society 83PoliticsNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation PeacebuildingNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Centre for Development Studies Politics, Infrastructure, Social scienceGovernmentThiruvananthapuram
Centre for Land Warfare Studies Strategic Studies, Regional and National Security, International RelationsNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Centre for Policy Research Politics, Policy, GovernanceNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Centre for Public Policy Politics, Policy, GovernanceNot-for-profitBangaluru
Centre for Public Policy Research Politics, Policy, GovernanceNot-for-profitKochi
Centre for Science and Environment EnvironmentGovernmentNew Delhi
Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy Policy, Science and TechnologyGovernmentBangaluru
Chennai Centre for China Studies China, International relations, StrategyNot-for-profitChennai
Council On Energy, Environment and Water Energy, Environment, WaterGovernmentNew Delhi
Forum of Free Enterprise Entrepreneurship, BusinessNot-for-profitMumbai
Foundation for Democratic Reforms Politics, Policy, GovernanceNot-for-profitHyderabad
Indian Council of World Affairs International relations, StrategyNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs BusinessNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses 42MilitaryNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Institute for Studies in Industrial Development Business, IndustriesNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Institute of Economic Growth Business, EconomyNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Institute of Food Security Food, policyGovernmentGurgaon
Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies Politics, Policy, TerrorismGovernmentNew Delhi
Institute for Social and Economic Change Economy, Social science, PolicyGovernmentBengaluru
International Centre for Free and Open Source Software Free SoftwareGovernmentThiruvananthapuram
International Growth Centre Business, EconomyNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Karnataka Knowledge Commission Politics, Policy, Governance, StrategyGovernmentBengaluru
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences AgricultureGovernmentNew Delhi
National Centre for Cold-chain Development Food, AgricultureNot-for-profitNew Delhi
National Council of Applied Economic Research Business, EconomicsGovernmentNew Delhi
National Institute of Advanced Studies Science, Social scienceGovernmentBangaluru
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Business, finance, policyGovernmentNew Delhi
National Knowledge Commission Politics, Policy, Governance, StrategyGovernmentNew Delhi
National Maritime Foundation Maritime, MilitaryNot-for-profitNew Delhi
National Research Centre on Equines Agriculture, Animal husbandaryGovernmentHisar
National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Hisar Agriculture, Animal husbandaryGovernmentHisar At CCS HAU
Observer Research Foundation Politics, Policy, Social sciencesNot-for-profitNew Delhi;
Mumbai
PRS Legislative Research Politics, ConstitutionNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Public Health Foundation of India Health, Science, PolicyNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Research Foundation for Governance in India Politics, Policy, GovernanceNot-for-profitAhmedabad
South Asia Analysis Group International relations, Strategy, Politics, Policy, GovernanceNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Strategic Foresight Group Strategy, Politics, GovernanceNot-for-profitMumbai
The Takshashila Institution Politics, Policy, Governance, StrategyNot-for-profitBangaluru
United Service Institution Not-for-profitNew Delhi
Vivekananda International Foundation Culture, Civilization, Politics, PolicyNot-for-profitNew Delhi
Wildlife Institute of India Ecology policyGovernmentDehradun