Sitara

Why SITARA?

Robert Solow, Nobel prize-winning Economist, said nearly 90% of growth in the US between 1909-49 was accounted for by technological progress, not investment!

Technology indeed is the foundation of economic and therefore also of enduring geopolitical power.

We want India’s growth too to be powered by technology. 

SITARA, the Science, Indigenous Technology & Advanced Research Accelerator, aims at creating a high-tech, R & D intensive economy – which will generate resources for eliminating poverty and tackling unemployment and climate change.

To this end India needs a vigorous Industrial Policy to encourage domestic R&D intensive, high-tech growth  -ideally based on a strong vocational education system patterned on the Swiss or German model, where the student learns in the classroom and on the job. Even America has now reversed itself with many Industrial Policy measures, reversing the damage that Neoliberals wrought on America’s enormous scientific and industrial capability.

SITARA was preceded by the High-Tech Defence Innovation Forum (H-TDIF) launched at IDSA in July 2011. The Forum generated many ideas and policy recommendations which were subsequently mainstreamed (the H-TDIF also helped to create the Defence Innovation & Industry Association).

One of the primary reasons for India not being as prosperous and advanced as its potential warrants is that Government tenders for high-tech equipment have been systematically skewed to favour foreign original equipment manufacturers (FOEMs), frequently through internal collusion.   Government procurement accounts for US$ 500 bn in orders annually which could have stimulated domestic growth. But the bulk is gifted to FOEMs, massively handicapping the domestic economy.

India also lacks an ecosystem conducive to the growth of R&D intensive companies.

We accordingly made it our mission to highlight these issues and propose solutions to Government, which to its credit, has listened sometimes and taken action.

For more about SITARA’s work see our Mission & Vision statement.

Our Focus Areas