‘where Is India?’: Harsh Goenka Calls Out Technology Lag Behind China, Us, And Eu

Industrialist Harsh Goenka has ignited statement pinch a pointed critique of India’s position successful nan world exertion race, contrasting it pinch nan ascendant roles of China, nan US, and nan European Union.

Goenka, successful a station connected X (formally Twitter), shared a Venn sketch that defines nan world’s tech scenery successful crisp terms: China builds, America innovates, Europe regulates. 

The schematic illustrates China’s power successful drones, precocious batteries, and 5G, nan U.S.’s lead successful Big Tech, biotech, and precocious physics, and nan EU’s increasing clout successful mounting regulatory standards.

“Where is India?” Goenka asked, implying a spread betwixt ambition and execution.

While India has made strides, including climbing from 81st to 40th successful nan Global Innovation Index betwixt 2015 and 2023, it remains constrained by systemic challenges. 

The state spends conscionable 0.64% of its GDP connected R&D, acold down China’s 2.68% and America’s 3.5%. Even a azygous Chinese firm, Huawei, outspends nan full Indian nationalist and backstage sectors successful research.

China’s tech emergence has been fueled by state-driven policies for illustration “Made successful China 2025,” pinch astir $500 cardinal successful yearly R&D and a targeted push successful sectors specified arsenic semiconductors and EVs. The U.S., backed by Silicon Valley’s task superior ecosystem, continues to predominate heavy tech and disruptive innovation.

India, meanwhile, has seen advancement successful areas for illustration integer infrastructure—UPI and Aadhaar are globally recognized—but its precocious introduction into captious sectors for illustration semiconductors and debased backstage finance successful high-risk technologies item a slower pace.

Goenka’s post, much than a societal media statement, sounds arsenic a wake-up call: India’s ambitions won’t beryllium realized without scaling investment, coordination, and urgency.

Published on: May 24, 2025 5:46 PM IST