India — The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), one of the world’s leading scientific publishing and research organizations, has officially joined the Government of India’s ambitious One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative, significantly expanding access to high-impact global scientific research for students, researchers, and educators across the country.
With this development, the complete journals portfolio of the Royal Society of Chemistry is now accessible to more than 6,500 Indian institutions participating in the ONOS scheme, benefiting nearly 18 million students, faculty members, scientists, and researchers nationwide.
The inclusion of RSC journals marks a major step toward strengthening India’s scientific research ecosystem and democratising access to globally recognised scholarly content across chemistry and interdisciplinary sciences.
Strengthening India’s Research and Education Ecosystem
The Government of India’s One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative was launched with the objective of providing country-wide access to high-quality international research publications and scholarly journals to students and academic institutions across India.
The scheme covers:
Central and state government universities
Higher education institutions
Research and development centres
Government-funded scientific organizations
By bringing globally reputed publishers under one national framework, ONOS aims to remove barriers to scientific information access and support India’s growing knowledge economy.
Through this collaboration, Indian institutions will now gain seamless access to the Royal Society of Chemistry’s extensive portfolio covering multiple domains within chemical sciences, materials science, environmental science, pharmaceutical research, and interdisciplinary scientific innovation.
RSC Reaffirms Commitment to Indian Scientific Advancement
Speaking on the partnership, Dr Helen Pain, CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry, described the collaboration as an important milestone in strengthening long-standing relationships with India’s scientific community.
She stated:“This is an important step in sustaining our long-standing relationships with the Indian chemistry community, a strong signal to underline our commitment to empower Indian scientific advancement and to realise our ambition of helping chemistry to change the world.”
Dr Pain further highlighted the importance of international scientific collaboration and acknowledged the support extended by various Indian government bodies and institutional partners.
“Science is always a global endeavour, and we are proud to be working closely with both the Indian government and the institutional partners we have forged relationships with over many years,” she added.
According to the RSC leadership, the initiative will ensure that India’s scientific and chemistry community benefits from global discoveries, innovations, and research insights published within the Royal Society of Chemistry’s internationally respected journals portfolio.
India Emerging as a Global Research and Innovation Hub
Education and research experts believe this partnership comes at a crucial time as India rapidly strengthens its global position in science, technology, innovation, and higher education.
Over the past decade, India has witnessed significant growth in:
Scientific research output
Higher education enrolment
STEM innovation
Academic collaborations
Global research participation
Access to international research databases and peer-reviewed scientific journals is increasingly being viewed as essential for accelerating innovation, improving academic quality, and supporting future scientific breakthroughs.
The inclusion of RSC journals under ONOS is expected to particularly benefit:
Chemistry researchers
Engineering institutions
Pharmaceutical sciences departments
Environmental science researchers
Materials science scholars
Interdisciplinary scientific projects
Industry experts note that equal access to scientific literature is critical for ensuring that students and researchers from both metropolitan and regional institutions receive the same opportunities for academic and research advancement.
Supporting an Inclusive Scientific Culture
Dr Venkatesh Sarvasiddhi, Managing Director India and South Asia at the Royal Society of Chemistry, emphasized the organization’s commitment toward supporting Indian researchers and promoting a more inclusive scientific culture.
He stated:“The Royal Society of Chemistry is proud to partner with Indian researchers and institutions — helping advance their success by publishing their work, supporting their development, and amplifying their voices on the global stage.”
He further added that the organization aims to support an open, sustainable, and equitable scientific future where chemistry plays a major role in solving global challenges.
Institutional Leaders Welcome the Move
The inclusion of RSC journals under ONOS has been widely welcomed by India’s academic and research leadership.
Professor Devika P. Madalli, Director of INFLIBNET Centre, described the collaboration as a major boost for equitable access to high-quality chemical sciences research across India.
She noted:“This move reinforces the Government of India’s commitment to democratising knowledge and advancing an inclusive research ecosystem.”
Sh. P.K. Banerjee, Joint Secretary, Indian Department of Higher Education, also welcomed the Royal Society of Chemistry into the ONOS initiative, highlighting the publisher’s significant contribution toward advancing science and interdisciplinary research in India.
Meanwhile, Professor J N Moorthy, Director of IISER Thiruvananthapuram, stated that researchers and educators across the chemistry community had been eagerly awaiting the inclusion of RSC journals within ONOS due to their importance in supporting advanced scientific education and research.
A Major Step Toward Research Accessibility
Experts believe the ONOS initiative itself represents one of India’s most ambitious knowledge accessibility programs aimed at strengthening the country’s academic and research capabilities.
By enabling nationwide access to globally recognised scientific publications, the initiative is expected to:
Improve research quality
Encourage innovation
Support academic excellence
Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration
Empower young researchers
Enhance India’s global scientific competitiveness
As India continues investing heavily in research, innovation, and higher education reforms, partnerships with globally respected scientific organizations like the Royal Society of Chemistry are expected to play a key role in shaping the country’s future scientific and educational landscape.
