India's R&D system faces a critical paradox: significant top-down capital but a depleted human capital base, stifled by bureaucracy and fragmentation. Current government R&D efforts are insufficient. The author advocates a fundamental recalibration for global competitiveness. This entails dismantling CSIR, merging labs with universities, and empowering post-doctoral researchers with competitive salaries and co-location. Such crucial restructuring, mirroring China's past reforms, is vital to overcome administrative hurdles and press a 'restart button' for India's innovation future.