Innovate, patent, produce and prosper. This was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to young scientists at the Indian Science Congress on January 3. This, he said, would lead to faster development of the country. His emphasis on innovation is particularly important in the world of today when competition — especially in high value-add products and services — is no longer based only on cost.
India’s greatly successful IT industry recognised this long ago. Starting with a model based largely on labour arbitrage, it moved in the 1990s to also emphasising quality. Acknowledging the overall reputation. . .