India to  More Than Double R&D Spending to US$8 billion a Year by 2017. (February 26, 2012)

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced at the Indian Science Congress last month that R&D spending would rise to US$8 billion per annum by 2017.

He told the delegates: "Over the past few decades, India's relative position in the world of science had been declining, and we have been overtaken by countries like China." And in an interview with Science, he observed: "China is in many ways far ahead of India."

Recently the Indian prime minister sat down with Science's Editor in Chief, Bruce Alberts, Asia news editor Richard Stone, and India correspondent Pallava Bagla for an extensive question and answer session. Herewith, excerpts:

Science:At the Indian Science Congress last month, you said that “we need to do much more to change the face of Indian science.” Please elaborate.

Manmohan Singh:Well, we need to spend a lot more on research and development. Our share of GDP which we spend on R&D is about 1%, and I said that we should raise it to about 2% of GDP. We need to spend a lot more money on the areas where our development needs are actively served by developments in science, technology, and innovation. So in our country today we have a situation where as far as the public sector is concerned, our proportion of GDP going into R&D in science and technology is roughly the same as the other developing countries, but it is the private sector in our country which has to do a lot more.

 

Science: In the United States, 17% of total research and development spending is spent in higher education systems, whereas in India the number is about 4%. It is the lowest percentage of any of your peers. Is this a problem that needs to be fixed?

Manmohan Singh: Well, we need to spend a lot more money on education, more so on higher education... Our real problem is quality teaching staff. We are trying to induce more people to go for Ph.D. degrees in science and technology... we must also find innovative means to draw upon the Indians working in the universities abroad, particularly in the United States, to find some time to spend teaching in our country.

 

 

Science: After the Fukushima disaster in Japan, do you still think that nuclear energy has a role in India?

 

Manmohan Singh.: Yes, where India is concerned, yes. The thinking segment of our population certainly is supportive of nuclear energy.

 

 

Science:At the science congress, you mentioned your feeling that China has overtaken India in science. Are you competing with China?

 

Manmohan Singh: Well, we are competing, yes and no. India and China are engaged in a stage of development where we have both to compete and cooperate. We are the two largest developing countries and the two fastest growing countries. China is our great neighbor. Now, we've had in the past problems way back in the 1960s, but we are finding pathways to promote cooperation.

 

 

Science:[ W]hat about the astronaut program? The Indian Space Research Organisation is asking for $2.5 billion. You talk of inclusive growth. In that inclusive growth, how does human space flight fit in?

Manmohan Singh: Well, ultimately science and technology must be viewed as an instrument of raising the standard of living of our people. Now, if information technology can be seen to promote the development of our country, particularly in the inclusive style of development, I think people will see space technology also as a new way of dealing with the ancient scourges of poverty, ignorance, and disease. Science and technology are the ultimate salvation for finding meaningful new pathways of developing our economy.

 

Science: Where do you see the future of Indian science in 20 years?

Manmohan Singh: Indian science has a very bright future. I have no doubt that we will scale new heights, we will explore new frontiers, and more and more young people will take to science as a career. Things are already changing for the better.
     One has to be optimistic. In poor countries, unless one is optimistic, one is overwhelmed by the dimension of the development task that we have to accomplish.