Historical Background

One of the oldest civilizations within the world, the Indian civilization incorporates a robust
tradition of science and technology. Ancient India was a land of sages and seers still as a land of
students and scientists. Analysis has shown that from creating the most effective steel within the
world to teaching the globe to count, India was actively tributary to the sector of science and
technology centuries long before fashionable laboratories were discovered. Several theories and
techniques discovered by the traditional Indians have created and reinforced the basics of recent
science and technology. Whereas a number of these groundbreaking contributions are
acknowledged, some area unit still unknown to most.

SCIENCE POLICY RESOLUTION, 1958

The government, also because the scientific community of the free Republic of India, completed
quite early that science and technology ought to be fostered and inspired so as to contribute to
the agricultural and industrial progress of the country also on its defense. Affected by the
effectiveness of coming up with in conveyance regarding economic development, the Prime
Minister statesman introduced identical in Republic of India and joined the event of science to
come up with. For him, science was an exploration for 'truth'-a truth that was neither communist
or capitalist. He powerfully advocated the ingraining of 'scientific temper' and 'free inquiry'.

The year 1957 was the year of the artificial satellite. At a time once the bullock cart was still the
chief mode of transport in the Republic of India, the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
sent a vehicle into the area. The maximum amount because the artificial satellite spurred
scientific activity across the globe and its ripples were felt in the Republic of India too.
Delivering the speech at the 1958 session of the Indian Science Congress, statesman expressed
his feeling at this development in science. The foundations of contemporary science in the
Republic of India were near to be ordered. The direction that science policy in Republic of India
would take was made public by statesmen throughout the course of his address. He said:

“Why does science make progress?

I suppose, because science is encouraged, science is considered important, and scientists are
given importance and status, so that more and more people are attracted to science ... You must
consider science and the spirit and temper of science as important...Facilities should be given
for the advancement of science, the scientists and the universities wherever this work is done ..
.it is the function of the state to encourage science ... Because it is the right thing to do ... [and
also because it is] important to do so. If you do not, you get left behind, you get weak.”

Two months after his address to the Science Congress, Prime Minister, Nehru in person
introduced the Science Policy Resolution (SPR) in Parliament on four March 1958. This
Resolution delineates the objectives of India's science policy. The Resolution wanted to 'foster,
promote and sustain' science education and scientific research-both pure and applied, produce a
pool of scientific personnel and encourage 'individual initiative' and 'creative talent'. Importantly,
and this is what concerns us-the objective was also:

·         To encourage, and initiate, with all possible speed, programs for the training of scientific and
technical personnel, on a scale adequate to fulfil the country's needs in science, agriculture,
industry and defense (emphasis mine);

·         And in general, to secure for the people of the country all the benefits that can accrue from
the acquisition and application of scientific knowledge.

The efforts within the initial years when independence targeted parturition the foundations of
science. A sequence of laboratories were inaugurated and science education was promoted for
making a science base within the country. As declared within the Science Policy Resolution,
organizing science for defense was among the declared objectives of the government. It is, of
course, true that among the list of priorities defense figures last within the objectives declared
within the Resolution. What’s vital, and justifiably thus, is that it's one among the objectives.
Moreover, the government sought-after to derive each advantage that science might bestow upon
its individuals. If one were to interpret this objective during a broader sense, implicit the target
may be a want to use science towards the defense wants of the country and derive the advantages
that science might impart. Science has varied applications and in numerous fields-one of them
being in defense.

Speaking at the Third Defense Science Conference, a month when the Science Policy Resolution
was enraptured in Parliament, and some months when the Defense analysis and Development
Organization (DRDO) was shaped, the primary Scientific adviser to the Defense Minister created
associate torrid presentation declaring the {need, the necessity} of increasing defense analysis
activity within the country and therefore the need for increased allocation to defense analysis
.However, he quickly value-added that the financial condition of the county wouldn't allow
higher disbursal and, therefore, it had been out of the question to form on the market 10 per cent
of the defense allow defense analysis and Development (R&D). The abstract thought that one
might draw from the road of thinking of the primary Prime Minister and therefore the first
Defense Science adviser is that the event wants the country patterned a lot more conspicuously
than organizing science for defense.

 SCIENCE POLICY RESOLUTION: FOLLOW UP

In order to review the implementation of the SPR a conference of scientists was organized in
1963, 5 years when the SPR was stirred. The meeting was addressed by Prime Minister Nehru
and also the then Minister for Science and Culture, Humayun Kabir. Many eminent scientists
participated within the deliberations and created suggestions. The Committee on Defense was
headed by the then scientific adviser to the Defense Minister, S. Bhagavantam, a person of
appreciable repute, World Health Organization was at just one occasion the Director of the
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and a former junior colleague of C. V. Raman.

THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY

The 1962 India-China War stirred the scientific community into action. The scientists expressed
an intense need to participate within the defense effort of the country. They were, however,
lacking within the data of the extent to that they may associate themselves. A number one journal
of these times wrote in its editorial that “the character and also the size of analysis issues
connected with defense aren't legendary to scientists and technologists”. Not solely this, the
scientists were nearly angry that the government gave no serious thought to the requirement for
defense and on the urgency of organizing the resources of the country for this purpose. This was
largely as a result of at that point there was hardly any co-ordination between defense R&D and
research projects being conducted elsewhere within the country. The scientists honestly felt that
defense R&D effort required the active involvement of scientists outside the Defense Science
Organization. Under these circumstances it had been steered that "in this country it should be
valued considering whether or not association of uncommitted scientists with the answer of a
number of our defense issues might not be tummy bent on being fruitful". It had been a time
once defense R&D was conducted during a state of isolation and secrecy. Therefore, the science
community steered that the government ought to take a little cluster of scientists into confidence
and sit down with them the contribution they may build.

Discussions were commanded between the administrators of national analysis laboratories and
Officers of the Defense Science Organization so as to mobilize the scientific effort to defend it.
What followed was the constitution of a committee. The committee had the then Director
General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Relations (CSIR) as its chairman. Besides
reviewing the resource convenience within the country it counseled the creation of 'defense cells'
in prestigious national laboratories to hold out analysis of connectedness to defense. At this
juncture it had been asked by the science community if similar cells couldn't be shaped in
alternative analysis centers yet as universities. Over the years the desirability and utility of
marshalling all the accessible resources therefore on use them in defense analysis as and once the
requirement was felt gained credence. A defense co-ordination unit was found out within the
DRDO in 1962 to coordinate with the CSIR with the target of 'joint designing of programs’ and
'coordinating CSIR R&D programs with defense requirements’. The Unit is presided over by a
committee, whose Chairman is the Director General of the CSIR. At a similar time, the DRDO
conjointly initiated collaboration with universities and Indian Institutes of Technologies (IIT’s).
The character of the interaction was, and still is, within the style of conducting joint-symposia,
distribution defense R&D comes to universities and IIT’s, mutual visits and lectures and
participation by the DRDO within the academic session programs of universities. With time,
when late as within the time of life no vital degree of nearer coordination between defense R&D
and civilian R&D may well be established. As if this wasn't dangerous enough the scientific and
technological strength failed to match the necessities of the defense R&D effort. An individual of
no less associate authority than the incumbent Scientific adviser to the Defense Minister
expressed the opinion that:

Planned effort ought to be created, in an exceedingly manner additional purposeful than has been
drained the past, to stay them in such a state of state that each one of them be controlled, at short
notice, to defense effort, if and once thus desired it's essential to depart them wherever they're
throughout traditional times and encourage them to follow their scientific avocations, however
offer them with liberal support to grow quick enough and follow of electronic equipment
developments, thus on be helpful throughout and follow of recent developments, thus on be
helpful throughout associate emergency.

What we have a tendency to perceive is that, even at that point the invite to scientists outside the
defense laboratories wasn't associated with an open one. A state of 'scientific alert' so that their
services could be called upon when an

Emergency arose. The situation did not take long to change. By 1979 defense R&D began to
create fervent appeals to the science community additionally because the trade affixed hands
with it. The then Scientific authority to the Defense Minister allayed the prevailing belief that
defense R&D was shrouded in secrecy and went on to state thus:

Defense Science requires the help of all laboratories and industry in the country.... It should be
possible for more scientists and laboratories to volunteer to play a positive role in the
indigenous design and development of defense equipment for the country. This would be a great
contribution to the nation and a more economical way of looking at the defense effort.

 
Hence, 2 observations would be so as. One, it had been a reversal of roles for defense R&D and
therefore the science community. The science community, from having volunteered to try and do
everything among its capability, as well as giving its services at no price in the slightest degree,
within the aftermath of the 1962 War, had, now, to be prodded to collaborate within the defense
effort of the country. Two, the appeal, as well as that to the trade, was sent on the first eve of the
commencement of high-technology defense R & D.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PLAN, 1974

The National Committee on Science associated Technology has initio ready an approach to S&T
set up in 1973 and, as a maiden venture, ready a comprehensive S&T set up in 1974. The
Approach Paper to the set up known variety of thrust areas like agriculture, dairy, textiles, health
and birth control, water and sanitation, coal, oil, power, atomic energy, various sources of
energy, natural resources, integrated geographic region development , minerals, marine
resources, iron, steel, copper and metallic element, significant engineering, chemicals, materials,
transportation, cryogenics, alternative energy, magneto-hydrodynamic power generation,
chemical process, biological management of pests and house technology, etc. The set up
conducted an important examination of twenty four sectors “with a read to evolving appropriate
programs of analysis, development and style ..: for accomplishing time sure targets... [The set up
was back-geared towards] import substitution, adaptation of foreign technology, improvement of
business productivity, export promotion, and build up capabilities in frontier areas and
augmentation of R&D". The preparation of the set up was a for the most part democratic effort,
that concerned the participation of quite two, 500 scientists and therefore the sub-committees
connected with its preparation having visited many components of the country to " [discuss] at
length the requirements and therefore the potential with producers and users of R&D ... [as well
as having tried to] involve non-public R&D for a lot of purposeful [ends]". The implementation
of the set up proceeded on 3 broad directions encouragement to exploitation of indigenously
developed technologies and R&D by providing incentives; structure and social control reforms;
putting in place of latest science and technology establishments, including the National Remote
Sensing Agency (NRSA), living substance Bank, Offshore Engineering cluster, Engineers
Bharat, etc. The S&T set up had the singular advantage of being democratic in nature. Besides,
the set up wanted to market R&D and establish linkages between the laboratory and therefore the
trade. Moreover, an outsized variety of areas were known for promotion. However, the
implementation of the set up left a lot of to be desired. The numerous areas that were known
could have, to associate extent, contributed to the present result, for the explanation that the main
target was lost and there was competition for allocations.

TECHNOLOGY POLICY STATEMENT, 1983

 

The then National Council for Science and Technology ready a Technology Policy Statement
within the late seventies for the thought of the cupboard. However, thanks to political uncertainty
in India at that point a call wasn't taken during this regard. Once the Congress came to power in
1980 the matter once more came up before the cupboard. Finally, in Jan 1983, the government
issued the Technology Policy Statement (TPS). Although the TPS was issued the question of
formulating a mechanism for its implementation remained. Later on a high level Technology
Policy Implementation Committee was well-grooved. The TPS geared toward developing
autochthonous technology and expeditiously riveting and adapting foreign technology. It sought-
after to correct regional imbalances in development, serve the wants of the disadvantaged
sections of the society and facilitate India deliver the goods technological autonomy. The TPS
conjointly geared toward fostering linkages between the varied S&T establishments so as to get
technology which might impart economic profit. The TPS ordered 'special stress on agriculture,
as well as physical object farming, optimum utilization of water resources, pulses and oilseeds,
beverage, nutrition, reduction of visual defect destruction of communicable diseases, cheap
housing, renewable non-conventional energy resources and industrial development. The TPS
declared that 'full support' would run to the event of endemics technologies, particularly in
important and vulnerable areas and in high-value other things. The TPS recognized the benefits
of being autonomous in technology.

AFTER THE 1983 TECHNOLOGY POLICY STATEMENT

In order to publicize the benefits of the appliance of technology to a wider section of the society
the govt. Had found out National Technology Missions between 1985 and 1989 within the areas
of rural drinking water; immunization of pregnant ladies and children; adult literacy; autonomy
in edible oils; up telecommunication networks; dairy farm development; and wilderness
development. In contrast to within the seventies once indigenous initiative, enlargement and
modernization were pursued indigenous efforts in S&T appear to have received a collection back
throughout the eighties, even if the TPS wanted to support the event of indigenous technology.
This trend wasn't solely questioned however created one commentator to remark that the
launching of the Hindu deity missile was a lesson for indigenous effort which it had been all the
additional relevant for all areas of S&T. The overall trend was for a preference for foreign
collaboration instead of on autochthone development. Even once the TPS was issued, it had been
realized that one thing was amiss. Throughout a gathering of the Parliamentary advisory on
Science and Technology in 1988, it had been declared that '1here was a desire to obviously
outline the S&T objectives of the country for consequent 10 to fifteen years, besides
characteristic choice R & D areas and establishing technology missions.

With this in sight, in July 1988 the Science informative Council to the Prime Minister (SACC)
ready Associate in Nursing Approach to a Perspective arrange for 2001 A. D.: Role of Science
and Technology (APP). The Approach to a Perspective arrange (APP) hoped to attain
'deceleration in increase, a two-fold increase in food production, health for all, acquisition for a
huge majority, higher management of energy and transportation, higher communication facilities
in rural additionally as urban areas, reversal in erosion of ecology, address issues of rural
housing and selective home ground, excellence in selected frontiers of S&T and scale back
economic condition and state. From the objectives of the APP one might gauge that the planners
of the day arranged stress on removing the shortcomings that were tackling the country by
providing S&T inputs. Whereas on the one hand up the overall living conditions of the
individuals required to be addressed during a systematic manner it had been conjointly
recognized that a combined effort ought to be created to pursue R&D in frontiers areas of
technology with a read to achieving self-direction in these areas.

In order to attain the objectives declared within the APP the SACC suggested the launching of
'national programs'. Following the advice 3 such programs were launched between 1989 and
1993. 'New Fibers and Composites Program', 'National electrical conduction Program' and
'National optical maser Program'. The National electrical conduction Program supported sixty
seven comes in basic analysis, technology development and applications. Throughout an
equivalent time Technology Missions were created within the areas of data processing systems,
biosensors and effaceable disks. After, a 'massive' exercise for launching Mission Programs was
planned. These were planned within the fields of sugar production technology, advanced
composites, next generation massively parallel mainframe computers, new physical science
materials and parts, microelectronics and photonics, info technology and future air navigation
systems, etc. Another program that has been launched recently is the 'Critical Technologies
Program'. Underneath this program, the Department of Science and Technology supports
analysis during a range of areas as well as sensors, fuzzy logic-based systems, intelligent process
of materials, etc. In sight of the assorted programs launched in several areas of advanced
technologies within the recent past, it may well be seen that the efforts geared toward achieving
self-direction in technology development have gained momentum. Exhorting scientists to
attempt laborious for developing advanced technologies, the then Prime Minister, H. D. Deve
Gowda, asked scientists to "accept the posed by the reluctance of advanced countries to transfer
subtle technology within the frontier areas of science and technology".

The development of strategic technologies is one in every of the chief aims of Bharat, because it
approaches the consequent millennium. Recently, a panel of the Technology info and prediction
Council (TIFAC), Department of Science and Technology, known as that is crucial to the
expansion of strategic industries in Bharat. In fact, the TIF AC itself was created upon the advice
of the SACC. The basis for characteristic as that are crucial to the expansion of strategic
technologies is that the industrially advanced countries have already established themselves in
these areas, derived economic prosperity Associate have begun to impose numerous management
regimes on those countries that were trying to ascertain an indigenous base in strategic areas; the
six broad areas known include:

·         Aviation: aircraft, propulsion/airframe technology, avionics and communication;

·         Electronics: Microelectronics, wireless technology, displays;

·         Sensors

·         Space communication and remote sensing: Communication, remote sensing,

·         Meteorology;

·         Critical materials and processing: Critical materials, structures, processing; and

·         Robotics and artificial intelligence.

Whereas the specific areas identified by the Panel are those that merit special attention, and on
which the future of strategic industries of the country is dependent, work has already been
commenced on a vast number of areas, which would fit into the broader areas listed above.

The proposal is to develop varied technologies within the broad areas listed on top of a time span
of twenty 5 years. The target periods are classified as short, medium and long term-year 2000,
year 2010 and year 2020 severally. The Panel counseled a shift from power to know-why,
alliances for realizing the event of essential technologies, a time-bound mission-mode programs,
encouragement and raised allocation for R&D, policies geared toward bigger partnership
between government and business, etc. Partnership with national laboratories and defense
laboratories would, the business has been told, facilitate faster acquisition of technologies and
fewer investment in R&D. Whereas the specific areas as known by the Panel are people who
benefit special attention, and on that the longer term of strategic industries of the country
depends, work has already been commenced on a massive range of areas, which might match
into the broader areas listed on top of. An interesting exercise was conducted by a senior defense
scientist wherein the areas that the U. S. Considered critical and in which India has an abiding
interest were listed which include:

•   Microelectronic circuits and their application

•   Computational fluid dynamics

•   Parallel computer architectures

•   Hyper velocity projectiles

•   Fiber optics

•   Software productivity
•   Automatic target recognition

•   Simulation and modelling

•   Signature control

•   Passive sensors

•   High power microwaves

•   Data fusion

•   Preparation of gallium arsenide and other compound semiconductors

•   Air breathing propulsion

•   Machine intelligence /robotics

•   High-temperature and high-strength composite materials;

•   Sensitive radars

•   Super -conductivity

•   Phased arrays