We need science-lead solutions for faster growth.
Achievement of self-reliance is one of the goals of India’s development plans. The autonomy will not be complete without technological independence. This recognition has led to the evolution of policies geared to strengthen local technical capability to achieve self-reliance ultimately.
The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy 2013 has been a guiding vision of aspiring Indian STI enterprises.
The modus operandi of the policy has been two-pronged. One is to provide local skills from the imported ones. The other is to accelerate the local generation of technology. The technological capability thus created is immense and has brought near technological self-reliance in some industries. India has even been able to export a wide range of projects to other countries. There are some other areas, however, where technological self-reliance is nowhere in sight.
The Technology Policy Statement (TPS) was a response to the need for a guideline to cover wide-ranging and complex sets of inter-related areas. Its primary objectives are the development of indigenous technology and efficient absorption and adaptation of imported technology appropriate to national priorities. The principles covering the acquisition of technology have been spelled out. According to it, where we establish the need for imported technology, we must first say that it is of the highest level, consistent with requirement and resources. The technology import will have to be so planned as to have an adequate transfer of know-why.
In areas where we want to import technology, we must first assess whether these are already available in India. A list of indigenously available technologies is to be prepared and updated periodically.
