New Delhi: Amid debate on the Indian Air Force’s fighter jet acquisition strategy, a survey of the Taxila Institute indicates high public support in India for international cooperation in important technologies compared to indigenous development in India.
In public policy, conclusions were published last month by Bangalore -based Research and Education. The survey was held in November-December last year.
This examined India’s approach to high-tech geopolitics and demanded the reactions of various stakeholders, including representatives of the private sector, defense and security personnel, government officials, students, academics and think tanks.
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Most of the 502 respondents were included in the private sector 40.2 percent, followed by defense and security personnel at 21.5 percent. A total of 10 questions were asked, with comprehensive-based disciplines such as technology and partners to semiconductor and technology domains.
‘What should be India’s top priority for technology development in the next decade’ for Query, the majority bends to international cooperation rather than self -sufficiency, which challenges the ‘self -reliant India’ story in strategic circles.
43.8 percent of respondents advocated for accelerating technological progress for India’s cooperation with nations like the US, UK and France, while 36.1 percent preferred the development of indigenous technology regardless of global competition.
The findings come in view of a debate on projects including Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which are currently a 5.5-generation fighter under the Development Organization (DRDO) in collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and private industry partners under the Development Organization (DRDO).
The survey AMCA program as a case study assumes whether India should remain with ambitious indigenous initiatives, select installed platforms such as F -35 or SU -57, or to be engaged in co -development and joint construction with reliable international partners.
The survey report said, “In the case of secret fighters, the Government of India should select indigenous AMCA and co-development/co-development of the next-gene aircraft.”
Given the IAF fighter squadron deficiency (just 31 against approved 42.5), this argument becomes more necessary and emphasizes the need for quick combat capacity upgradation.
A minor yet relevant 16.9 percent of the respondents said that the Government of India should avoid playing a direct role in the establishment of technological development projects, with alternatives to the private sector to lead in such decisions.
Meanwhile, only 3.2 percent supported the direct acquisition of technologies from foreign countries without joint production or technical cooperation.
The survey analyzed public preferences for international partners in the domain of important technologies including defense.
45.4 percent of the respondents chose America as the lead partner of India in the region, followed by Israel 20.5 percent, France 18.1 percent and Russia at 12.9 percent, China got only 3 percent pics.
The options between stakeholder groups were different. Among the surveyed defense and security personnel, Israel emerged as a favorite partner at 35.2 percent, followed by the US at 31.5 percent and Russia at 19.4 percent. France scored a score of barely 12 percent in this category, which indicates a clear inclination within India’s defense sector towards Israeli technologies, with frequent dependence on Russian devices.
The survey also tried to understand how Indians are seen in the upcoming decade how the components that build the overall power of the country.
Only 14.1 percent of the respondents preferred military power as the most important among military, technical, economic, soft and talent-based power. Within the “government” stakeholder category, only 10 percent preferred military power as their primary priority.
Meanwhile, soft power got the lowest rankings at 13.5 percent.
Conversely, 35.6 percent of those recognized economic power as the primary source of national power of India, which succeeded at 21.7 percent by talent power and 14.9 percent from technical power.
The comparatively elevated importance of talent on technology indicates an increasing acceptance that human capital and trained labor will be important in determining India’s competition in high -tech areas.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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