India is planning a 20 to 25-year roadmap to reduce critical technology dependencies and strengthen its resilience to global disruptions, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum.
The government aims to make India a trusted partner in global technology supply chains rather than pursue complete self-sufficiency. Vaishnaw said excessive dependence on other countries could leave India's economy and manufacturing sector vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and policy changes.
India Sets Short, Medium, Long-Term Technology Goals
Vaishnaw outlined a phased planning framework, with short-term goals covering three to five years, medium-term targets spanning five to 15 years, and long-term objectives extending over 20 to 25 years.
“Things change, politics change, geopolitics play a big role, so we have to calibrate our approach constantly, and we in India are thinking at least 20 years ahead,” he said.
The strategy focuses on building domestic capabilities in strategically important sectors while maintaining integration with value chains across the world. Vaishnaw stressed that technology would remain a global industry, with supply chains spread across multiple countries.
Semiconductor Ecosystem Key to Manufacturing Growth
Highlighting semiconductors, the minister explained that India must develop the entire ecosystem, including materials, chemicals, gases and substrate materials, alongside chip design and manufacturing.
He noted the second phase of India's semiconductor program placed greater emphasis on these essential inputs, and that building such capabilities requires sustained investment and time.
“Without an ecosystem, no manufacturing effort will ever pay off,” Vaishnaw said.
Citing the mobile phone industry, he said India had progressed from assembling devices to manufacturing modules and components. The country now produces several components for domestic use and has started exporting some of them.
The minister also called for higher research and development spending and better fund allocation, particularly for applied research, to strengthen domestic technological capabilities.
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Indigenous Telecom Technology and Economic Resilience
Vaishnaw cited India's indigenous end-to-end 4G telecom stack, developed through government-private sector collaboration in three-and-a-half years. He said the system has been deployed on more than 100,000 towers.
He also warned that AI-driven changes in employment, particularly in the services sector, and rising debt in advanced economies could create global challenges.
India is strengthening its financial, economic and technological resilience to prepare for such uncertainties. Vaishnaw said the country's public debt-to-GDP ratio had declined from 61% to 55% over the past five years.
Cisco Chairman and CEO Chuck Robbins also joined the discussion, describing India's approach of developing strategic capabilities while partnering with trusted companies as a practical path toward technological sovereignty.