The Hindu Group Launches New E-Book Examining India's Path to Science Superpower Status

The Hindu Group has released a new e-book titled The Quest to be a Science Superpower: Where India's Research Is and What It Will Take to Get Ahead. The publication looks at India's growth in research and development spending, patent filings, and its large STEM talent pool while also examining persistent systemic barriers. It compares India's path with the United States, China, and East Asian tigers to identify missing links in the country's ambitions, discussing the journey toward Viksit Bharat by 2047 and the goal of moving from an assembly hub to a foundational innovator.

Key Challenges

The book analyzes gaps in turning laboratory research into commercial products, administrative burdens that slow down world-class breakthroughs, the brain drain of top talent, and the rise of institutionalised pseudoscience. It features contributions from several writers including Vasudevan Mukunth, Jacob Koshy, Rohini Subrahmanyam, Dinesh C. Sharma, Sanjukta Mondal, Sayantan Datta, Mahima Jain, and T.V. Padma. The publication aims to provide a balanced look at the country's scientific and technological landscape alongside discussions on critical thinking and the relationship between science and society.