Technology Challenges in India
Kartavya Desk Staff
#### GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Science and Technology
Source: IE
Context: C. Raja Mohan, in this editorial, highlights the urgent need for India’s next government to address technology challenges beyond election manifestos.
Global Status of Technology:
• Over 5 billion people using the internet worldwide as of April 2024
• Major economies like China, the United States, and Europe are prioritizing advanced technologies to shape their future esp in AI, Machine Learning, Quantum Computing, Space sector, Nuclear technologies etc.
India’s Status of Technology:
• India’s technology industry is expected to reach USD 300-350 billion in revenue in 5 years.
• India has the second largest telecom industry with over 1 billion subscribers.
• India is the second largest manufacturer of mobile handsets.
• India is the Third largest startup ecosystem with over 1 lakh startups and 110 unicorns.
• India’s AI adoption outpaces global trends with 70 per cent adoption, while Japan lags significantly at 24 per cent (as per a recent study)
Subsectors of India’s Technology drivers:
Key Sub Sectors | Description
IT and BPO Services | The largest component of India’s service exports, comprising over 60%
E-Commerce | Expected to reach USD 1 trillion by 2030 due to factors like a large consumer base and robust infrastructure
FinTech and Digital Finance | Expected to grow to USD 150 billion by 2025.
Edtech | Second largest e-learning market, expected to grow to USD 10 billion by 2025
Cleantech and Renewable Energy | India ranks 4th globally for total renewable power capacity additions
Space Sector | Contributes 2%-3% of the global space economy
Challenges faced by India’s technology field:
Challenges | Description
Lack of Emphasis on Technology Policy | Despite its critical importance, technology policy is not prominently featured in India’s policy discourse, hindering the country’s ability to address evolving global technological challenges.
Global Technological Competition | Major economies like China and the US are aggressively competing to dominate advanced technology sectors, intensifying global technological competition and putting pressure on countries to keep pace.
China’s ambition to master “new productive forces” underscores its aim to surpass the US in advanced science and technology
The US is striving to regain leadership in advanced technology sectors
European leaders are advocating for bolstering Europe’s “industrial and technological sovereignty” to compete with global tech giants
Digital Divide | India’s digital divide, especially between urban and rural areas, persists despite efforts like BharatNet, hindering equitable access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and exacerbating inequality, particularly in terms of internet and computer access.
Lack of Relevant Skilling | While India excels in IT services, there’s a shortage of skilled professionals in emerging areas like AI, cybersecurity, and data science, reflecting the need for educational reforms to bridge the skill gap and meet evolving industry demands.
Lack of Adequate Focus on R&D | India’s relatively low investment in research and development compared to developed nations inhibits innovation and the domestic production of cutting-edge technologies
Cybersecurity Threats | With increasing technology adoption, cybersecurity threats like cyber frauds and deep fakes are escalating
Lack of Comprehensive Regulation on AI | India’s absence of a comprehensive law for regulating AI raises uncertainties for businesses and poses risks in AI adoption, emphasizing the need for clear and legally binding regulations to address
Government Initiatives:
• India’s Semiconductor Mission: Launched in 2021, aims to develop sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystems.
• IndiaAI Mission: With over Rs 10,300 crore allocation, fosters AI leadership, ethical deployment, and democratizing AI benefits.
• DigiLocker: A free, secure platform for storing, sharing, and verifying documents online.
• Unified Payment Interface (UPI): Enables instant money transfer between bank accounts via smartphones.
• Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR): Launched in 2023, focuses on accelerating research in the power sector.
• PLI Schemes (Production Linked Incentive): Introduced for sectors like semiconductors and electronics manufacturing.
• National Supercomputing Mission: Aims to boost the country’s computing power, jointly steered by DST and MeitY, and implemented by C-DAC and IISc.
• Vigyan Jyoti:This program from the Department of Science & Technology (DST) encourages girls in high school and up to PhD level to pursue STEM careers.
• GATI: A program that promotes female education in STEM fields
• CURIE: A program that promotes female education in STEM fields
Way forward:
• Emphasis on Tech Policy: Prioritize reforms integrating technology policies into the national agenda.
• Increased R&D Spending: Significantly boost national spending on research and development.
• Private Sector Participation: Encourage private sector involvement in tech research, development, and production.
• Technology Department Overhaul: Revamp technology departments to align with a tech-driven economy.
• Modernize Tech Foundation: Update tech infrastructure to meet the demands of a tech-driven economy.
• Strategic Partnerships: Forge partnerships with countries like the US and Europe for tech transfer and collaboration. g., Quantum Leap Alliances: Forge alliances for quantum technology research and development.
• g., Quantum Leap Alliances: Forge alliances for quantum technology research and development.
• AI-powered Rural Hubs: Establish AI kiosks to support rural entrepreneurship.
• Moonshot Innovation Labs: Create high-risk, high-reward research labs for breakthrough technologies.
• TechnoSkilling Initiatives: Foster collaborations to design tech-aligned curricula and promote skill mobility.
• Enhanced Cybersecurity: Implement robust cyber resilience frameworks and promote secure-by-design principles.
Insta Link:
• A renewed focus on emerging technologies
• Technology and Innovation Report 2023
Mains Link:
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented devastation worldwide. However, technological advancements are being availed readily to win over the crisis. Give an account of how technology was sought to aid the management of the pandemic. (UPSC 2020)
Prelims Link:
With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following? (UPSC 2020)
• Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
• Create meaningful short stories and songs
• Disease diagnosis
• Text-to-Speech Conversion
• Wireless transmission of electrical energy
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(A) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
(B) 1, 3 and 4 only
(C) 2, 4 and 5 only
(D) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Ans: B
With reference to “Blockchain Technology”, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2020)
• It is a public ledger that everyone can inspect, but which no single user controls.
• The structure and design of blockchain is such that all the data in it are about cryptocurrency only.
• Applications that depend on basic features of blockchain can be developed without anybody’s permission.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(A) 1 only
(B) 1 and 2 only
(C) 2 only
(D) 1 and 3 only
Ans: D