Three Priorities for India to Lead the Next Era of Global Science
As India marks 80 years of independence, it's a fitting occasion to assess the state of Indian science and consider its trajectory. This assessment arrives at a pivotal juncture: the convergence of emerging technologies — particularly artificial intelligence — is driving a pace of change with few historical parallels.
Science, at its core, tends to follow prosperity. A rough calculation illustrates this: roughly 20-30 million Indian adults currently earn incomes exceeding Britain's median, when adjusted for purchasing power. Notably, this figure is comparable to the total number of adults in Britain earning above their own median — a population size that has historically supported Britain's scientific enterprise. Projections suggest this affluent segment of India's population could grow to between 40-55 million within the next ten years.
Despite common perceptions, India already performs remarkably well by several broad scientific benchmarks. Data from the Nature Index shows that while Britain's total research output is roughly double India's, the gap narrows considerably in specific fields — physical sciences show a ratio of about 1.4:1, and applied sciences about 1.6:1. In chemistry specifically, India has actually surpassed Britain's output. The wider disparity that remains in biology and medicine points more toward gaps in infrastructure than any fundamental limitation in scientific capability.
At the highest tier of scientific achievement, Britain still maintains a substantial lead — reflected in publications in top-tier journals like Nature and Science, as well as major international awards. However, these accolades often reflect research conducted decades earlier, making them a delayed indicator rather than a real-time measure. When it comes to current, highly-cited research output, India's standing relative to Britain is considerably stronger.
A persistent challenge remains: many of India's most talented scientists pursue graduate studies abroad and end up contributing to research systems in the US, UK, and elsewhere. Britain faces a similar pattern of talent migration to America. Shifts in US immigration policy could potentially reduce this pull, though the long-term impact remains uncertain. Ultimately, scientific progress thrives on the free movement of people — so the real goal shouldn't be preventing this migration, but transforming it from a one-way loss into a two-way exchange.
This points to three key areas of focus:
Building stronger institutional networks. India needs to more closely link its research institutions — both domestically and internationally. Britain benefits from geographic proximity, with major research hubs like Oxford, Cambridge, London, Birmingham, Warwick, and Bristol functioning almost as a single, unified scientific ecosystem. In contrast, India's leading institutions — including IISc, TIFR, the IITs, and IISERs — are spread across vast distances. Bridging this gap could involve joint academic programs, cross-institutional faculty appointments, shared postdoctoral positions, and streamlined funding for research-related travel. Israel offers a useful model here: through mechanisms like the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, the country converted its global scientific diaspora into lasting collaborative partnerships. India, too, has a highly accomplished diaspora in the US and UK — the objective shouldn't just be to bring them home, but to embed them as ongoing collaborators through joint initiatives, reciprocal exchanges of students and researchers, and regular engagement.
Encouraging institutional innovation. As India's scientific sector grows, it shouldn't simply replicate existing structures. New institutions — and new frameworks within established ones — should have the freedom to experiment with how they recruit talent, evaluate research, make international hires, and secure private funding. The recently launched Lodha Institutes, supported by significant philanthropic investment, represent one such experimental approach. Similarly, LIGO-India stands out as a promising model — as part of a globally connected network of gravitational-wave detectors, it positions India at the forefront of international research from the outset, with genuine potential to enable Nobel-caliber discoveries conducted on Indian soil.
Leveraging India's distinct advantages. India should double down on areas where it holds a natural edge. Astrophysics and cosmology, particularly through LIGO, represent one such opportunity. Genetics is another — India's remarkable genetic diversity means a comprehensive national biobank, comparable in scale to the UK Biobank, could significantly advance the global understanding of human genetics. Computer science and AI form a third area of strength, built on India's robust software industry and its extensive global talent network.
For much of the past eight decades, India's scientific progress was largely constrained by limited resources. While that limitation still exists, the nature of the challenge has evolved. Today, India possesses the talent, institutional foundation, and global connectivity needed to emerge as a leading force in world science.
