(GIST OF YOJANA) Information Technology: Beyond Self-Reliance

[February-2021]

The country’s achievements in science and technology in this long period need to be analysed, considering our background and circumstances. India has moved forward, grappling with the backdrop of protracted slavery, a glut of social problems, economic deprivation, rampant illiteracy, lack of infrastructural development, and many other similar problems.

Background:

Our background is neither like that of America, which was liberated about two hundred fifty years ago, nor is it like Japan, which has much less population than us. Nor are we like China, where brute power rules. We live in a vibrant democracy with its own strengths and challenges. Despite all this, whatever we have achieved in science and technology is undoubtedly a matter of pride. When we look at the situation prevailing in other countries that have got freedom with us, our achievements become clear.
India has made all-round progress in technology, although our accomplishments in areas such as space and nuclear power are more noticeable. But we have made phenomenal progress in the field of information technology. We are in the leading position in the world in many areas related to this, especially in service. In other areas where India could not make significant progress in the past decades, serious efforts have been made in the last five-six years to make a mark in them, and their result is also visible. Areas such as manufacturing and semiconductor can be specifically named in which quite a few positives are occurring in the present time of the corona pandemic. You must have seen the recent news that Apple, the world’s famous telecom equipment manufacturer, is shifting its plants operating in China to India. Some other companies are doing the same.

Challenges Paved the Way

Almost 50 years ago, the telecom sector. like most other sectors, was dependent on multinational companies to supply hardware. New technology could not make way to India due to high costs and a shortage of foreign exchange. Bui a revolution swept the telecom sector in 1984 when the government, under the leadership of Sam Pitroda, picked up the scientific teams from the TRC and TIFR to establish the Center for Development pf Telematics (C-DOT).

Resolve to Turn Crisis into Strength:

Courage is identified only at the time of crisis. Japan is a shining example of this virtue. It demonstrated its boundless courage and counted among the top two economic powers after the atom bomb devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki and it was badly defeated and ravaged in World War II. In the midst of the horrific crisis unleashed by the Coronavirus and then the aggressive antics of China, today we have a similar opportunity in the form of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ (Self-reliant India campaign).

Possibilities Inherent in Digital India:

Due to Digital India, huge success has been achieved in bringing one billion Indians online. Smartphones available at an affordable price in India, Internet connectivity (data) at reasonable rates and the world-class infrastructure of telecommunications have made the amazing revolution of digitisation come true. The way millions of Indians are making payments through digital channels, filing income tax returns, booking railway tickets, using banking services, and using e-Commerce, connecting with the government machinery is an astounding achievement for the world that even developed countries like America and Britain cannot compete with. The development of the country’s digital psyche and the environment guarantees a blissful future as information technology will continue to dominate economic development for at least two decades. IIT Alumni Council’s establishment with a corpus of about 21 thousand crore rupees is a laudable initiative.

The alumni of IITs today operate the largest IT companies globally and are known for providing hundreds of billions of dollars to their former educational institutions. Funds going to institutions such as Stanford, Harvard, MIT has now started coming to Indian institutions and can inspire the new generation towards innovation, self-reliance, opening new startups, and job creation. Indian companies have announced to bring indigenous 5G technology. The signs are unmistakable. India neither lacks potential nor opportunities. India’s ambitions in the field of IT can no longer be constrained.