21st Century India's Science and Technology: Achievements and Contrasts

India in the 21st century presents a fascinating study in contrasts. The nation stands tall as a global leader in space exploration, boasts world-class educational institutions, and ranks among the top five economies worldwide. Yet, beneath these impressive headlines lies a more complex reality-millions still struggle with hunger, and the gap between macroeconomic success and human development remains staggeringly wide. Understanding both India’s remarkable achievements and persistent challenges is essential for anyone examining its place in today’s world.

A global education and research powerhouse
Space and nuclear achievements
ISRO’s remarkable journey
Nuclear energy ambitions
Economic growth amid persistent challenges
The agricultural surplus and nutritional security paradox
Rising defence expenditure in a strategic neighbourhood
The road ahead: balancing achievements with inclusion

A global education and research powerhouse

India has emerged as one of the world’s largest higher education ecosystems, anchored by prestigious institutions that compete on global rankings. The 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) form the backbone of technical education, producing engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs who have made their mark across the world. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, IIT Delhi secured the 123rd position globally, followed by IIT Bombay at 129th and IIT Madras at 180th. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru continues to top the NIRF 2024 research rankings, reaffirming its status as the premier research institution in the country.

These institutions have contributed significantly to India’s emergence as a global hub for scientific research and technological innovation. The IITs, along with National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and IISc, account for nearly 80% of all engineering PhDs awarded in India. The country has built a robust ecosystem for software development and IT services, while simultaneously making strides in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.

Space and nuclear achievements

ISRO’s remarkable journey

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has firmly established India among an elite group of spacefaring nations. The agency’s journey from launching small sounding rockets in the 1960s to achieving historic lunar landings exemplifies what focused scientific endeavour can accomplish with limited resources. On August 23, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 achieved a historic soft landing near the lunar south pole, making India the first nation to accomplish this feat and only the fourth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon.

This success built upon earlier achievements. Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, confirmed the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface-a discovery of immense scientific significance. The Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), launched in 2013, made India the first Asian nation to reach Martian orbit and the first nation globally to succeed on its maiden attempt. Looking ahead, the Gaganyaan mission aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability, with an expected launch by the end of 2026 to send a crew of three astronauts into orbit.

Nuclear energy ambitions

India has developed an indigenous nuclear power programme based on a unique three-stage fuel cycle designed to eventually utilize the country’s vast thorium reserves. As of July 2024, India’s installed nuclear capacity stood at 8,180 MW, with plans to increase this to 22,480 MW by 2031-32. Nuclear power currently generates approximately 3% of India’s electricity, produced by 25 operational reactors across seven nuclear power plants. The government has set an ambitious target of 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, when India celebrates its centenary of independence.

Economic growth amid persistent challenges

India currently ranks as the world’s fifth-largest economy, with a GDP of approximately $3.89 trillion at current prices and an impressive growth rate of 8.2% in FY 2023-24. The country is projected to surpass Germany and become the third-largest economy by 2027-28, according to IMF projections. This economic rise has been driven by robust domestic consumption, significant foreign direct investment inflows exceeding $1 trillion since 2000, and a thriving services sector that accounts for around 55% of GDP.

However, this macroeconomic success story conceals stark inequalities. India’s per capita income remains substantially low at around $2,934 compared to developed nations-a stark reminder that aggregate wealth has not translated into broad-based prosperity. Nearly 63% of India’s population lives in rural areas, where opportunities and infrastructure often lag far behind urban centres.

The agricultural surplus and nutritional security paradox

India’s agricultural sector has achieved remarkable productivity gains. In 2024-25, the country recorded its highest-ever foodgrain production at 357.73 million tonnes, an increase of approximately 8% over the previous year. Rice production reached a record 150.18 million tonnes, while wheat touched 117.94 million tonnes-both all-time highs. This marked a significant jump from the already record 332.3 million tonnes produced in 2023-24.

Yet, despite overflowing granaries, hunger persists. In the Global Hunger Index 2024, India ranked 105th out of 127 countries with a score of 27.3, categorizing it in the “serious” hunger range. The country performs worse than several South Asian neighbours including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. India has the highest global rate of child wasting at 18.7%, while 35.5% of children under five are stunted and 13.7% of the population remains undernourished.

This paradox-record food production coexisting with serious hunger-points to fundamental problems of distribution, access, and purchasing power rather than mere production capacity. Post-harvest losses remain significant, and the gap between food availability and nutritional security underscores the complexity of addressing hunger in a vast, unequal society.

Rising defence expenditure in a strategic neighbourhood

Amid persistent regional tensions with neighbouring countries, India has significantly increased its defence capabilities. According to SIPRI data, India’s military spending reached $86.1 billion in 2024, representing a 1.6% increase from 2023 and a 42% rise from 2015. This makes India the fifth-biggest military spender globally, behind only the United States, China, Russia, and Germany. India maintains one of the world’s largest military forces with over 1.44 million active personnel and the world’s largest volunteer military exceeding 5.1 million personnel.

India emerged as the world’s second-largest importer of major arms in 2024, accounting for 8.3% of global arms imports. While Russia remains the primary supplier, India has been diversifying its sources toward Western nations including France, Israel, and the United States. The government has implemented policies earmarking 75% of capital outlays for domestic military procurement, aiming to build indigenous capabilities in armoured vehicles, helicopters, and submarines. Defence spending accounts for approximately 1.9% to 2.2% of GDP, with the budget projected to increase substantially through 2029.

The road ahead: balancing achievements with inclusion

India’s 21st-century trajectory presents both inspiration and caution. The nation has demonstrated that developing countries can achieve technological excellence-reaching the Moon, building nuclear capabilities, and creating world-class institutions-even with limited resources. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India crossed 50 billion units of electricity generation in FY 2024-25 for the first time, while ISRO continues planning missions to Venus and Mars.

However, the disconnect between aggregate achievements and individual welfare remains India’s central development challenge. Economic growth has not automatically translated into hunger reduction or equitable opportunity. The Global Hunger Index serves as a stark reminder that true development cannot be measured by GDP alone but must encompass the wellbeing of every citizen.

What do you think? Can a nation truly be considered developed when technological achievements coexist with widespread hunger and malnutrition? How might India better translate its macroeconomic success into improved human development outcomes?

References

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Table of Contents

A global education and research powerhouse 🔗

Space and nuclear achievements 🔗

ISRO’s remarkable journey 🔗

Nuclear energy ambitions 🔗

Economic growth amid persistent challenges 🔗

The agricultural surplus and nutritional security paradox 🔗

Rising defence expenditure in a strategic neighbourhood 🔗

The road ahead: balancing achievements with inclusion 🔗