On India's plunge into Nanotechnology: What are good ways to catch-up?

Shyama Ramani (), Nupur Chowdhury (), Roger Coronini () and Susan Reid ()
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Nupur Chowdhury: School of Management and Governance, University of Twente
Roger Coronini: Unit ESE, Université Pierre-Mendes
Susan Reid: Williams School of Business, Bishop's University

No 2011-020, MERIT Working Papers from United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT)

Abstract: The present paper examines how a developing country like India is competing in the nanotechnology race. Our study shows that both upstream scientific and technological capabilities and downstream regulatory capabilities are being strengthened. India has clearly made a dent in terms of scientific publications (with the main focus being on nanomaterials), in the "technology market" its patenting performance (with the principle focus on nanopolymers and nanocatalysts) though not extraordinary is good compared to other emerging economies spending similar amounts. In the "final products" market some biotech and ICT incumbents are moving towards nano but the bulk of the new firms are in the field of nanomaterials. These achievements are particularly noteworthy given the much smaller quantity of funds invested by the Indian State as compared to the international leaders in nanotechnology. However, even with these initial optimistic results, the paper casts doubt on whether it is in the interests of economic growth or social welfare that India's science and innovation, and intellectual property policies are being increasingly modeled on the lines of developed countries so as to attempt to compete or collaborate with them without a better re-alignment and functioning of existing capabilities.

Keywords: Catch-up; India; new technologies; nanoscience; nanotechnology; innovation; economic development; developing countries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O14 O31 O33 O38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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