India needs discipline to become leader in innovations

New Delhi, Nov 16 (UNI) India can become the world leader in scientific innovation if it shows some discipline in developing new technologies, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) Secretary R A Mashelkar said today.

''The 21st century would belong to India and China, and in the long run India can take the lead as the '3 Ds' -- 'Democracy, Diversity and Demography' -- are in its favour. If a fourth 'D' -- Discipline -- was added, India would truly become the world's economic powerhouse,'' Dr Mashelkar said.

Alluding to the acquisition of Corus by Tata Steel, he said, ''We need to rekindle the Tata spirit. Besides using technology to gain competitiveness, we also need to acquire technology and intellectual property.'' He also called for a concerted strategy to realise the Prime Minister's agenda of 'Technology-led Rapid Inclusive Growth'. While inclusive growth would call for a massive fillip to the manufacturing sector to generate employment for semi-urban and rural folk, the process can be made rapid through technological innovation, he said.

The DSIR Secretary was addressing the ''20th National Conference on In-house R&D in Industry'' on the theme of 'Enhancing India's Manufacturing Competitiveness by leveraging Indian R&D'.

The challenge before industry and government is to grow the manufacturing sector at 14 per cent rate annually for the next 10 years from the present low of 7 per cent to raise the sector's contribution to GDP from 18 per cent to 30 per cent, National Manufacturing Competitive Council (NMCC) Chairman V Krishnamurthy pointed out.

''The world is expecting us to play a leadership role, to benefit not just India but the global community. It expects more and more goods and services from India,'' he added.

During the last decade, India has averaged six per cent GDP growth. But the problems of rural and agrarian India have remained.

Dr Krishnamurthy also underlined the need for balanced growth of agriculture, manufacturing and services, where the contribution of manufacturing would have to nearly double to meet the employment aspirations of 10 million youth who enter the job market each year.

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