In a recent policy brief titled Technology Policy and Diplomacy: The Indian Experience, published by the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Sanjay Bhattacharyya examines the evolution of India’s science and technology (S&T) policy and its growing use of technology diplomacy to advance economic growth, national security, and strategic autonomy. The policy brief argues that India has developed a dynamic S&T policy framework that combines indigenous capability-building with international cooperation, while closely linking technology policy with development priorities and global engagement.
The policy brief traces India’s S&T evolution across three broad phases: the post-independence period focused on institution-building and self-reliance; the post-1991 economic reforms phase that integrated technology with globalisation and market-led growth; and the contemporary digital era centred on emerging technologies, critical minerals, and resilient supply chains. Bhattacharyya notes that India’s policy framework consistently emphasised “indigenous capacity, self-reliance and innovation, alongside external engagement and multilateral cooperation.”
The policy brief highlights India’s achievements in areas such as agriculture, space, atomic energy and defence. It notes that the Green Revolution and White Revolution transformed India’s agricultural and dairy sectors through a combination of domestic initiatives and international collaboration. The policy brief also discusses the achievements of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), including the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions, arguing that ISRO projects were implemented with “very tight budgets and high indigenous content but also close foreign cooperation.”
Bhattacharyya further argues that economic liberalisation after 1991 expanded India’s integration into global technology and manufacturing networks. The policy brief points to initiatives such as Make in India and the Production Linked Incentive Scheme, alongside India’s emergence as a major producer of affordable generic medicines and vaccines. It also emphasises India’s growing focus on areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and cybersecurity, supported through international partnerships and technology diplomacy.
A major focus of the policy brief is India’s transition towards a knowledge economy driven by digital infrastructure and innovation. Bhattacharyya describes India Stack as an expression of citizen empowerment and digital governance. The policy brief also highlights the rapid expansion of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has grown to more than 500 million daily transactions since 2024. At the same time, it notes that India’s R&D expenditure remained relatively low at 0.64 percent of GDP in 2024, compared to 2.4 percent in China and 3.5 percent in the United States.
The policy brief also offers several recommendations to strengthen India’s technological capabilities and diplomatic outreach. Bhattacharyya calls for the establishment of a dedicated task force within the Ministry of External Affairs to coordinate India’s strategy on emerging technologies, alongside a specialised centre to monitor developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, robotics, and green energy. The policy brief further recommends increasing India’s S&T research expenditure to two percent of GDP, strengthening collaboration between academic institutions, industry and the private sector, and appointing technology ambassadors to improve India’s capacity in negotiations on issues such as climate change, data governance, energy transition, and emerging technologies.
The policy brief concludes that India has emerged as “a significant technology power” that combines development priorities, national security and global engagement through technology policy and diplomacy. Bhattacharyya argues that India’s approach promotes “indigenous capacity, networks of collaboration, diversified partnerships, and reliable and resilient value and supply chains,” while warning that rising geopolitical competition and protectionist tendencies are making technology diplomacy more challenging.