India must transition into a product nation that creates innovative solutions based on its own specifications, according to Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India. In a recent interview with The Indian Express, Sood, who chairs the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council and serves as a National Science Chair Professor at IISc Bangalore, outlined a bold vision for India’s future in deep tech and manufacturing. Here’s a breakdown of his insights and the roadmap ahead.
Why India Needs to Design Its Own Products
- Current Scenario: India excels in semiconductor design, with one in five global design engineers based here, yet it holds less than 10% of chip design facilities.
- The Gap: Most designs follow foreign specifications, limiting India’s intellectual ownership.
- Sood’s Call: “We need designing capabilities based on our specifications, not someone else’s,” he said, pushing for a shift to original innovation.
Sood emphasized that intellectual groundwork must start domestically to position India as a leader, not a follower, in the global tech landscape.
Boosting Deep Tech Startups in India
- Growth Potential: India’s deep tech startup ecosystem is expanding, but the numbers are still modest.
- Positive Signs: A “quiet transformation” is underway, with policies increasingly supporting these ventures.
- Industry Leaders: Companies like Bharat Forge, Tata, and Tech Mahindra are paving the way, though Sood insists “more has to happen.”
As part of his role in technology foresight, Sood is passionate about creating an ecosystem where startups can drive India toward a product-centric future.
Avoiding the Middle-Income Trap Through Innovation
- Manufacturing Risks: Relying solely on manufacturing could trap India in a middle-income trap, with profits flowing outward.
- Profit Centers: In sectors like cellphone assembly and chip production, design and branding—pre- and post-manufacturing—hold the most value.
- Sood’s Vision: “Can we have a product that is our design?” he asked, urging India to prioritize original product development.
This approach ensures economic benefits stay within the country, elevating India beyond incremental growth.
Fostering a Culture of Homegrown Innovation
- Talent Pool: India’s engineers, especially in hubs like Bangalore, are globally renowned for their design skills.
- Current Limitation: “Our youngsters are designing for somebody else,” Sood noted, highlighting the need for a mindset shift.
- Cultural Shift: India must encourage its youth to create products tailored to local and global needs.
Building this culture is key to transforming India into a product nation and a hub of technology innovation.
Establishing India’s Own Global Capability Centers
- Big Question: “Why can’t we have our own GCCs?” Sood challenged, envisioning Indian-led Global Capability Centers.
- Strategic Advantage: Domestic GCCs could drive research, design, and production, reducing reliance on foreign frameworks.
- Scientific Expertise: With a Doctorate in Physics and expertise in quantum materials, Sood brings a unique perspective to this goal.
This step could mark India’s leap from a service provider to a creator of cutting-edge solutions.
The Road Ahead for India as a Product Nation
- Leadership Goal: Sood aims to empower India to think, design, and produce independently.
- Leveraging Talent: The country’s vast talent pool and growing deep tech ecosystem are critical assets.
- Global Impact: Becoming a product nation is about claiming intellectual leadership worldwide.
Sood’s leadership in the Principal Scientific Advisor’s office signals a strategic push toward this ambitious future.
