Critical tech list under review to push reliance

The National Institution for Transforming India (Niti Aayog) is formulating a list of critical technologies across sectors that India must become self-reliant in. The objective is to cultivate domestic expertise and mitigate potential disruptions resulting from restricted access to such technologies. Officials revealed that the finalized list might be announced as early as next month.

Some of the technologies possibly included are 6G architecture and hardware, defense equipment, genomic sequencing, and electric vehicle powertrains. While efforts to bolster indigenous capabilities in these sectors are already underway, a comprehensive list and strategy could stimulate private investments in these areas, according to the officials.

Several countries, including the US, EU, Canada, China, Australia, and the UK, have their own lists of critical technologies and corresponding funding mechanisms and strategies for self-reliance to protect against global supply shocks. India's proposed plan envisions providing procurement guarantees through public sector companies in the initial years or until market demand increases. Additionally, a portion of research funds could be designated for these sectors to spur innovation and development.

India already has over half a dozen schemes to incentivize innovation and investment in sunrise sectors, but the government believes a focused approach is necessary as progress remains slow and limited to select industries. The government has established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund (RDIF) to champion R&D in the private sector.

Recently, 14 alternative investment funds and five focused research organizations were approved, with a total RDIF commitment of ₹7,131 crore, announced a year after its inception in November 2025.