ACivilisation Reawakens: In the long arc of history, India has often been the crucible of ideas, from the zero to Ayurveda, from metallurgy to philosophy. Today, as the world grapples with artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and the ethical dilemmas of rapid digitalisation, India finds itself not just participating, but leading. What distinguishes India’s current ascent is not just its scale or speed, but its originality.
India’s transformation into a technology powerhouse is unfolding through a uniquely indigenous path rooted in grassroots innovation, accelerated by state-backed digital platforms, and fuelled by a youthful demographic. It is an ecosystem of paradoxes — where satellite launches happen in the same country where cows still plough fields, and where blockchain is used to empower tribal artisans.
Demographics Driving Disruption
India’s greatest advantage is its people. With over 900 million individuals under the age of 35, the country enjoys a demographic dividend unmatched in the modern world. But it is not just about numbers. Indian youth are uniquely positioned at the intersection of tradition and ambition. They are coding in regional languages, solving hyperlocal problems, and building startups from non-metros that even five years ago were not on the innovation map.
This momentum has been channelled systematically through initiatives like the Atal Innovation Mission, Tinkering Labs, and the Startup India framework. As of mid-2025, India boasts over 80,000 DPIIT-registered startups (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade), with nearly 100 unicorns across diverse sectors from healthtech and agri-tech to space and AI.
Rural Innovation: India’s Secret Weapon
Contrary to global assumptions, India’s innovation story is not urban-exclusive. In fact, some of its most transformative ideas are coming from small towns and villages. Whether it is solar-powered cold storage in Chhattisgarh, AI-based soil sensors in Tamil Nadu, or drone-based seed sowing in Telangana, India is proving that innovation doesn’t need to come from skyscrapers. It can emerge from sheds, fields, and garages.
More than a slogan, Digital India has become a quiet revolution. With over 1.5 lakh gram panchayats connected via BharatNet, rural India is now actively participating in the digital economy. And these communities are not just consuming, they are creating.
The India Stack: A Digital Infrastructure for the World
One of India’s boldest contributions to the world is its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model, collectively known as the India Stack. Built around open APIs, interoperable platforms, and public trust, this suite includes:
- Aadhaar (biometric digital ID)
- UPI (unified payments interface)
- DigiLocker (secure digital documentation)
- ONDC (open commerce network)
These are not just technological achievements; they are philosophical statements. They represent India’s belief that digital infrastructure must be open, inclusive, and sovereign.
India processes over 11 billion UPI transactions per month, far more than usage in the US, China, or the EU. UPI’s success has not only transformed micro transactions and banking, but it has also brought millions into the formal economy. Nations such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Kenya are exploring or adopting India’s digital infrastructure playbook, signalling India’s transition from a recipient to an exporter of digital frameworks.
Startups with Soul: India’s Unique Innovation Ethic
India’s startups are no longer building just for profit. Increasingly, they are building for purpose.
Take the example of Agnikul and Skyroot, which are developing India’s private launch capabilities. Or, Innaumation Medical Devices, which offers affordable voice boxes to cancer survivors. From menstrual hygiene startups using biodegradable products to EdTech platforms making regional-language AI tutors, Indian enterprises are designing for the many, not just the few.
This ethos — often described as frugal innovation or jugaad — combines cost efficiency with context awareness. But these startups are also increasingly becoming globally competitive in deep-tech, with government support through missions such as SAMARTH for manufacturing and iDEX for defence innovation.
India’s greatest advantage is its 900 million people under the age of 35. The country enjoys a demographic dividend unmatched in the world. Indian youth are coding in regional languages, solving hyperlocal problems, and building startups in non-metros that were not on the innovation map five years ago
The State as an Enabler
India’s public policy stance has matured from control to catalysis. The government now plays the role of facilitator, reducing friction, opening markets, and creating incentives for risk-taking.
Some critical enablers include:
- PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) schemes for sectors like semiconductors, EVs, and solar.
- National Deep Tech Startup Policy to support IP-intensive ventures.
- Liberalisation of the space and geospatial
- Startup India Seed Fund to de-risk early-stage capital.
Crucially, India is also pushing ethical boundaries — passing the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, launching AI governance frameworks, and embedding tech-for-good into public systems.
The Rise of New-Age Institutions
While the IITs and IISc continue to shine, India is investing in frontier science like never before. The following new institutions are laying the foundation for 21st-century leadership:
- The National Quantum Mission Hubs
- AI Research Centres at IIIT-Hyderabad and IIT Madras
- Genome India Project
- Bio-economy Incubators under BIRAC
In parallel, ISRO has opened the gates to private players, enabling a new wave of space startups. DRDO is collaborating with deep-tech ventures to modernise defence. This academic-industry-government triad is becoming a powerful engine of self-reliance and scientific excellence.
Cultural Confidence and Global Leadership
The Indian mind is now a global brand. From Sundar Pichai to Satya Nadella, from Nirmala Sitharaman’s G20 diplomacy to Gita Gopinath’s global economic leadership, India’s intellectual capital is shaping global discourse.
But a more significant trend is underway — the reverse migration of talent. Over 70,000 Indian-origin scientists, technologists, and founders have returned in recent years, drawn by scale, growth, and opportunities available in India. Venture capital is following suit, with global giants like Sequoia, Accel, and Tiger Global doubling down on Indian ideas.
India is no longer just a market; it’s a model.
The Road Ahead: Challenges to Confront
Despite the optimism, India must navigate formidable challenges:
- Digital inequality in underserved geographies.
- Skilling gaps amidst rapid automation.
- Low R&D expenditure (below 1% of GDP).
- Slow patent processing and IP protection issues.
- The need for patient capital in high-tech hardware sectors.
Additionally, emerging risks in cybersecurity, misinformation, and algorithmic bias require stronger legal and ethical frameworks. India’s rise must remain equitable, sustainable, and inclusive — especially for women, tribal communities, and persons with disabilities.
India’s most valuable export will probably not be a product or a patent, but a philosophy. India is showing that innovation need not be extractive or elitist. It can be collaborative, frugal, and deeply human. This is not just about Digital India, but about Digital Dharma, using tech that uplifts, connects, and empowers
A New Innovation Philosophy
Perhaps India’s most valuable export won’t be a product or a patent, but a philosophy. India is showing that innovation need not be extractive or elitist. It can be collaborative, frugal, and deeply human.
This is not just about ‘Digital India’, this is about a Digital Dharma — a balanced, ethical, inclusive use of technology that uplifts rather than disrupts, connects rather than isolates, and empowers rather than replaces.
India is crafting a third way in the global tech narrative, which is neither surveillance-driven like some authoritarian models, nor entirely market-led like Western Big Tech. It is shaping a techno-civilisational model where innovation is in service of well-being, dignity, and democracy.
Innovation Powering Aatmanirbhar Bharat
India’s technology renaissance is the bedrock of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat — a self-reliant India that stands tall in a multipolar world. From indigenous semiconductor manufacturing to space-tech startups launching satellites under ISRO’s guidance, the focus is clear: design in India, develop in India, deploy for the world.
By building digital public infrastructure like UPI, nurturing deep-tech innovation through the Make in India and Startup India missions, and ensuring that core technologies — from defence drones to electric mobility — are domestically produced, India is gradually reducing import dependencies while creating global products with local roots. This is not isolationism; it is self-confidence in India’s capacity to lead.
In many ways, innovation is no longer just a tool for economic growth — it is the very language of India’s resurgence under Modi’s leadership, enabling both sovereignty and global standing.
India’s tech renaissance is the bedrock of PM Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, a self-reliant India that stands tall in a multipolar world. From indigenous semiconductor manufacturing to space-tech startups launching satellites, the focus is clear: design in India, develop in India, deploy for the world
A Century of Indian Ideas
India’s rise as an innovative nation is not a blip — it is a historic resurgence. The next era will not be shaped merely by GDPs or unicorn counts, but by ideas that elevate humanity.
India’s innovation journey will be defined by whether it can turn intelligence into wisdom, technology into transformation, and progress into purpose.
If the 19th century belonged to Europe and the 20th century to America, then perhaps, just perhaps, the 21st century might belong to a new kind of leadership — Indian in spirit, global in impact, and human in vision.
The writer serves as the BJP Karnataka Spokesperson and Head of the Research Team.
