M Somasekhar VK Saraswat, Member (S&T), NITI Aayog, was earlier Director General, Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), and Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister. His views on S&T policy:

Self-reliance: Dependence on technology imports continues to grow. Indigenous technology development has been sparse except in strategic areas such as space, atomic energy and missiles, where technology denials and mission-mode programmes have helped in making a mark. Similarly in agriculture (green revolution), communications, drugs and a few other sectors have shown progress.

Research impact: The tendency among research institutes to prefer publication in scientific journals, and the reluctance to do collaborative work with industry, including CSIR, DRDO, ICAR, ICMR, has resulted in the overall low impact.

Societal needs : Target research funds in the ratio of 15-20 per cent on basic; 50-60 per cent on applied; and 20-25 per cent on commercialisation of technologies.

Challenges: Desalination, alternate energy, clean-coal technology, e-mobility, hydrogen economy, electronics, agriculture, health and education.

Disruptive technologies: Nano-technology, 3D and 4D printing, artificial intelligence, data analytics, quantum computing and ICT. We will need to build dedicated teams to work on projects.

Make in India: Ensure no international bidding in projects where indigenous capability exists, or at least a price preference of 20 per cent in specific cases.

comment COMMENT NOW