Deep-tech innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and inclusive technologies will be the defining pillars of developed India, provided the country focuses on creating affordable, globally competitive solutions that benefit millions rather than a privileged few, said Dr. Raghunath A. Mashelkar, Fellow of the Royal Society and Former Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Dr. Mashelkar said India must transition from being a consumer of global technologies to becoming a creator of world-leading innovations through deep science, artificial intelligence (AI), bold public-private collaboration and the Gandhian philosophy of “More for Less for More” “

He was giving a lecture at the Federation Of Indian Chambers Of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Legends Series on “Winning Through Innovation: Lessons for Industry and Society”.

India’s existing government procurement policy, which overwhelmingly favours the lowest bidder over innovation, has emerged as one of the biggest barriers to technological advancement and indigenous innovation, Dr. Mashelkar pointed out.

He called for a complete shift in India’s innovation ecosystem, urging the government to become a risk-sharing partner rather than merely a “purchaser of the cheapest products.”

Dr. Mashelkar said India’s greatest opportunity lies in creating world-class products and technologies that deliver superior performance with fewer resources while making them affordable and accessible to millions of people. 

Stressing that innovation should no longer be measured only by technological sophistication or premium pricing, but by its ability to solve society’s biggest challenges at scale, he said “excellence, affordability and inclusion, once considered mutually exclusive, must now become the three defining pillars of India’s innovation model.”

Dr Mashelkar, the Padma award winner, said India has repeatedly demonstrated that breakthrough innovations can emerge despite limited resources. 

From affordable healthcare technologies and digital public infrastructure to AI-enabled diagnostics and deep-tech startups, India has shown that it can produce globally competitive innovations while consuming fewer resources and significantly lowering costs, he said.

In this regard, he highlighted examples such as AI-powered tuberculosis detection through smartphones, affordable breast cancer screening using thermal imaging, digital maternal healthcare platforms and non-invasive anaemia detection technologies, all of which embody the philosophy of “More from Less for More.”

Calling upon Indian industry to move beyond merely adopting global technologies, Dr. Mashelkar said the country’s next phase of growth depends on becoming a creator of “Next Practices” rather than simply following global best practices. 

He pointed to India’s digital transformation, affordable data revolution, deep-tech entrepreneurship and green hydrogen initiatives as examples where India has demonstrated the ability to lead global innovation. 

He also emphasised that AI should serve as a “co-pilot and never an autopilot,” ensuring that human judgement, ethics and compassion remain at the centre of technological progress.

Addressing the gathering, Rajvardhan V. Kanoria, Past President, FICCI and Chairman & Managing Director, Kanoria Chemicals & Industries Ltd., said, “Innovation is no longer confined to laboratories or research institutions. It is the defining force that will determine India’s economic competitiveness, technological leadership and inclusive growth in the decades ahead.”

“The challenge before industry is not simply to grow bigger, but to create solutions that generate greater value while benefiting a much larger section of society,” he stated.