By IRNA-PTI
Ahmedabad : Indian science has been unable to catch up with the pace of research and development happening in other countries, including China, said Secretary Department of Science and Technology, T. Ramasami.
“The growth of Indian science and technology has not been keeping pace with the rate of development of research happening in other countries,” said Ramasami.
Delivering the lecture on “Long-term horizon of Indian Science” at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Friday night, Ramasami said, ” India is growing very slowly as compared to global trends.” He said India had a paltry 157 researchers for every million people as compared to China (which has 633 researchers per million people), USA (4,526), Japan (5,085), Germany (3,222), Finland (7,431)and Sweden (5,171).
“China has five to seven times larger investment in science than India in terms of human and physical capitals,” Ramasami said, adding, ” India has invested less in the past and so returns are less.” “However, it is ironical that India is emerging as a global R&D hub,” he remarked adding world was investing into Indian scientists.
“If India does not invest, world will invest into Indians. Indian scientists will develop several IPRs, innovations, technology and products for the rest of the world and that’s what will generate wealth elsewhere,” Ramasami said.
According to Ramasami, India needed a growth model of its own where talented youth could be engaged in study of science at a very young age.
Highlighting several steps recently taken by the government to improve the condition of science and technology in India, he said, “a stronger coupling between research, development and application is also needed”.
“More inclusive growth is necessary pre-condition for Indian science to perform,” Ramasami added.