ThinkTankWeekly

Computing in the Age of Decolonization: India’s Lost Technological Revolution

Foreign Affairs | 2026-02-17 | economy

Topics: China, Indo-Pacific

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English Summary

The analysis argues that India's historical failure to become a major electronics manufacturing power, despite early successes like the TIFRAC project, was not a scientific deficiency but a structural policy failure. Key evidence points to the state's tendency to support single, flagship projects rather than cultivating a comprehensive industrial ecosystem. This resulted in a weak domestic manufacturing base, forcing reliance on imported components despite advanced scientific talent. The implication for policy is that India's current push for technological self-reliance is likely to face similar hurdles, requiring a shift from project-based support to robust industrial policy development.

中文摘要

該分析指出,印度歷史上未能成為主要的電子製造強國,即使在TIFRAC等早期成功項目之後,其原因並非科學技術上的缺陷,而是結構性的政策失誤。關鍵證據顯示,印度政府傾向於支持單一的「旗艦項目」,而非培育一個全面的產業生態系統。這導致了國內製造基礎薄弱,儘管擁有先進的科學人才,卻仍被迫依賴進口組件。政策上的啟示是,印度目前推動的技術自立化進程,很可能會面臨類似的障礙,這要求其政策重心必須從單一項目支持,轉向健全的產業政策發展。

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