11 Comments

Sir, PLI for Advanced Cell Chemistry and nkw recycled critical minerals. Any comments on it in terms of where it is leading

Expand full comment

With the government choosing the tech that they want to encourage (PLI, ALMM, laptop licensing etc.) has the govt decided that they are the most capable to steer the country towards innovation (and not private entrepreneurs)? Or the govt doesn't think too high about the talent pool in the country to steer innovation and they feel obligated to show the direction to us...

Expand full comment
Sep 17, 2023·edited Sep 17, 2023

RSJ, do you have an example in the history of modern India when some journalist was speaking truth to power? Some sort of golden era of journalism when India benefitted from 'proper' journalism?

I have stopped watching television news from 2000-2001. I found the web-news with a facility to argue in the message-board/comment-box too attractive to pass. I would like to believe that India loses nothing due to these clownish MSM journalists/editors/presenters. The real discussions are happening on Twitter, social-media, Anticipating the unintended, TSATU, Takshashila, podcasts, Puliyabaazi etc. I agree with your concerns but maybe you are overestimating the impact of MSM.

Of course, some person/party will ban/block social-media sometime in future. That will be the time to get concerned.

Expand full comment

Good set of articles, especially enjoyed the Matsyanyaaya bit. However...

"I have no problems with the new objectives".

Apart from the n policy n objective rule or the low-level objectives, you don't have a problem with mandating NavIC on Indian made phones or on asking companies to get approval for importing Wi-Fi access points or ethernet switches?

To me the objectives themselves are daft, apart from being low-level.

Expand full comment
author

The objective of developing homegrown alternatives seems legit to me.

Expand full comment

Thanks. So legit objectives, not so good on the methods of achieving them?

Curious to know why you think having a homegrown GPS system is important. Maybe a future episode. :-)

Also, why would having more homegrown wireless access points or ethernet switches be a legit objective. Are these not non-strategic and with easily substitutable suppliers?

Expand full comment
author

Every government should think of the reasons why an industry is not growing in their country - strategic or not. Often, the reasons might be the same across sectors - difficulty of starting, running, and exiting businesses. Or there might be specific regulations that prevent companies from taking risks.

Expand full comment

Fair enough. Thanks.

Expand full comment

Interesting views are presented in this blog and I agree with most of the contents. What is missing is the question: 'What if think tanks of I.N.D.I.A. alliance have thought about all these? What would be their counter?'. My belief is that they have considered all these and from what I see in Tamilnadu are focussing on social media, vernacular channels and the hard way, by organising regular public meetings like the pre TV times in public squares.

Expand full comment