Viksit Bharat: How Technology Has Transformed Modern India

India’s economy has transformed from being agriculture-based to a major player in the digital space, all thanks to technology. From healthcare and agriculture to governance and education, every aspect of life has been impacted. Today, we’ll explore how technology has shaped modern India since independence.

The role of technology in shaping modern India since independence

1947-1957: How the Five-Year Plans prioritized scientific research

In 1950, India established the Planning Commission to formulate strategies and action plans in key areas such as agriculture, science, infrastructure and education. The first Five-Year Plan, launched in July 1951, included “Scientific and Industrial Research” as a key priority. The plan laid the foundation for scientific research in India, emphasizing the development and strengthening of national laboratories and research centers.

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The plan identifies 11 national research institutes, highlighting their importance to India’s future development. These include the National Physical Laboratory (Delhi), the National Chemical Laboratory (Pune, Maharashtra) and the Central Institute of Electrochemical Research (Kalakudi, Tamil Nadu).

Some of these facilities are still in their infancy and require further investment for expansion. The plan allocates resources to complete the construction of buildings and install the necessary equipment to ensure that these laboratories are fully operational.

In addition, the plan also proposes to establish three new institutions: the Institute of Radio Electronics, the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and the Central Salt Research Station to further enhance India’s scientific research infrastructure.

1957–1967: Improvements in agriculture and defense

After independence, one of the major challenges facing India was to revive the agricultural sector. Across the country, there was a huge gap in research related to crop yield potential, irrigation systems, fertilizers, pesticides, power sources, and farm equipment. Realizing this, the government prioritized scientific research to boost agriculture. This decade saw the beginning of the Green Revolution, a transformative period that greatly improved India’s agricultural economy, which had been on the verge of collapse in 1947.

The Green Revolution helped India move from being a food importer to self-sufficiency and eventually surplus. This period was a critical step in ensuring national food security and building a strong agricultural base.

The 1960s was also a pivotal decade for India’s defence sector, with the launch of the country’s first indigenously built naval submarine, INS Kalvari. This achievement marked the beginning of a series of ‘Make in India’ technological advances, not just in defence, but across all sectors. In the defence sector, India continued to make progress, successfully developing, testing and deploying key assets such as the Agni and Prithvi missiles, the supersonic fighter Tejas, and demonstrating nuclear capability in Pokhran II.

In addition, India has also developed the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile “BrahMos”, the ballistic missile nuclear submarine “Arihant” and the aircraft carrier “Vikramaditya”.

These achievements are made possible by cutting-edge technologies developed in-house, often from scratch. Notable innovations include autoclave technology for processing lightweight composite materials used in modern civil and military aircraft fuselages and aircraft head-up displays (HUDs).

1970-1990: India’s first satellite and development of the space sector

India’s impact on space science is enormous. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established in 1969 as the country’s official space agency. On April 19, 1975, ISRO launched India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, which was designed and built entirely in the country. Developed to conduct experiments in X-ray astronomy, high-altitude physics and heliophysics, Aryabhata marked an important milestone in India’s journey towards becoming a global space power.

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India reached a major milestone in 1980 with the successful launch of its first satellite launch vehicle, the SLV-3. This achievement set the stage for further developments, including launching India’s first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma, into space in 1984.

By the 21st century, India had developed its own rockets capable of launching not only indigenous satellites and research instruments, but also payloads from other developed countries.

Entering the 21st century, India continued to expand its space sector through initiatives such as the establishment of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) under the Ministry of Space.

IN-SPACe encourages greater private and citizen participation in space activities, which has resulted in the successful launch of four student satellites. In addition, institutions such as the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Trivandrum are committed to training engineers for India’s space program, ensuring that the country continues to lead in space exploration.

1987-1997: DNA fingerprinting technology established in India

India made a major breakthrough in biotechnology in 1988 with the development of DNA fingerprinting. Scientists at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) pioneered the technology, making India the third country in the world to create its own DNA fingerprint probes. This innovation marked a major advancement in forensic science and genetics research in India.

1997-2007: Pokhran-II nuclear tests

India conducted five underground nuclear tests, known as Pokhran-II, in Pokhran, Rajasthan on May 11, 1998. These successful tests were a major milestone in India’s strategic and technological capabilities.

To mark this achievement, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared May 11th of every year as National Science and Technology Day to celebrate India’s progress in science and technology.

2007 – 2017: Key technical achievements

Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission

India launched its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on October 22, 2008. The spacecraft orbited the Moon and provided the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with valuable data on the Moon’s chemical composition, geology and mineralogy.

Polio-free India

In 1994, India accounted for approximately 60% of the world’s polio cases. A rigorous government-led vaccination campaign enabled India to become polio-free within 20 years. On March 27, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially certified India as polio-free. The success of the campaign was attributed to strong policies, dedicated healthcare professionals, and extensive community outreach that educated and convinced hesitant people in rural and underserved areas about the safety and benefits of vaccines.

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Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan)

India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) was launched on November 5, 2013, marking the country’s first interplanetary mission. It conducted a detailed study of the topography, morphology, mineralogy and atmosphere of Mars. In addition to its scientific contributions, Mangalyaan was praised for its cost-effectiveness and established India as a major player in space exploration.

Encourage entrepreneurship

On January 16, 2016, the Indian government launched the Startup India program to create an ecosystem conducive to the advancement of science, technology and innovation. The program has greatly increased the number of startups in India, and as of July 2021, the number of startups in India has exceeded 52,000, making it one of the largest startup ecosystems in the world. These startups have created more than 500,000 jobs in various fields such as IT services, healthcare, education and green technology.

2017 to present: Major developments

Indian Space Research Organization’s Gaganyaan program

The Gaganyaan programme aims to demonstrate manned spaceflight to low Earth orbit (LEO), the region of space close to the Earth around which the International Space Station operates, for activities such as transportation, communication and observation.

The program aims to pave the way for India’s future manned space exploration. The Indian government has approved two unmanned missions and one manned mission under the Gaganyaan program. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 2020 Heart to Heart Dialogue speech, described Gaganyaan as India’s first step towards a sustained manned space exploration program that is expected to increase global collaboration opportunities in space station development and create jobs for the younger generation with scientific skills.

COVID-19 Vaccine Research and Vaccination Activities

India has played a key role in COVID-19 vaccine research and has become one of the world’s largest vaccine producers and exporters. As of the end of 2021, India has supplied more than 70 million doses of vaccines to more than 90 countries.

China has also launched an unprecedented vaccination campaign, with more than 1.7 billion doses administered as of February 2022, demonstrating its ability and determination to meet global health challenges.

in conclusion

Technology is a powerful force that has shaped modern India. Its transformative impact is evident in every sector, from governance and education to healthcare and agriculture. As India continues its digital journey, it is critical to bridge the digital divide, ensure data privacy, and harness the power of technology for the benefit of all citizens.

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