My article published on the Indus International Research Foundation website on 19 Feb 25.
The Indian aerospace industry has made significant strides in technology harvesting, particularly in defence, satellite technology, and aircraft development. Key successes include the development of indigenous fighter jets like the HAL Tejas and the successful launch of ISRO satellite missions, such as the Mars Orbiter Mission. These achievements demonstrate the growing capability of India’s aerospace sector in adopting advanced technologies and adapting them to local needs. However, there are notable misses, primarily in producing high-performance engines and strategic aerospace systems, where India still relies heavily on imports. Despite efforts to indigenous technology, challenges like bureaucratic inefficiencies, limited R&D funding, and a lack of skilled workforce hinder complete technological independence. The industry must address these gaps through improved collaboration, investment in cutting-edge research, and focused policy support to achieve self-reliance and compete globally in the aerospace sector.
Technology Harvesting: The Process.
Technology harvesting refers to acquiring, utilising, and leveraging existing or newly developed technologies to achieve strategic goals, enhance innovation, or create value. This practice can involve various methods, such as sourcing new technologies, adapting existing ones, commercialising them, or repurposing them for different industries or applications. Technology harvesting often aims to advance an organisation’s capabilities, improve productivity, maintain a competitive edge, or create new products and services. It can involve the following:-
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- Identifying valuable technologies. Finding technologies that can benefit a company’s growth or strategic advantage.
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- Acquiring technologies. Through means like acquisitions, licensing, or partnerships.
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- Commercialising or adapting technologies. Transforming acquired technologies into profitable products, services, or processes.
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- Maximising the utility of available technologies. Making the most of existing technological assets by integrating them into new contexts or markets.
Ways and Means. Numerous methods help businesses and organisations stay competitive by quickly accessing and implementing new technologies. Some of these are:-
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- Internal Research and Development (R&D). Companies and organisations invest in R&D to develop new technologies that can give them a competitive edge. This can be through in-house teams or dedicated innovation labs.
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- Collaborative Research and Development (R&D). Partnerships between universities, research institutes, and businesses allow for technology sharing and joint development, which can expedite innovation.
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- Buying Start-ups: Larger companies often acquire smaller tech start-ups that have developed innovative technologies. This enables quick access to cutting-edge tech and talent.
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- Technology Transfer. Institutions like universities often transfer their research outputs to private companies that can commercialise the technology. This is facilitated through licensing agreements.
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- Technology Licensing. Companies or individuals who hold patents on specific technologies can license them to other firms for a fee or a royalty agreement.
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- Patent Pools. Multiple organisations might collaborate and share patents or licenses to reduce barriers and avoid litigation, accelerating technology adoption.
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- Open-source software. Companies or individuals contribute to open-source projects, allowing others to use, modify, and build upon the technology freely. This can lead to rapid advancement and broader adoption.
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- Open Innovation. Engaging external parties in solving technological challenges, including crowdsourcing solutions and using external ideas and inventions to advance a product or service.
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- Tech Incubators. These programs support early-stage start-ups by providing resources like mentorship, capital, and networking opportunities to help turn nascent technologies into viable businesses.
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- Accelerators. Accelerators are similar to incubators but focus on scaling and rapidly bringing technologies to market. These programs often have a more structured approach.
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- Joint Ventures. Companies often form joint ventures to combine resources and technologies, enabling both parties to leverage each other’s expertise.
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- Industry Collaborations. Corporations in the same industry may collaborate to develop shared technologies that benefit all parties involved.
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- Product Disassembly. Some organisations or individuals harvest technology by disassembling a competitor’s product to understand its design and function. While legally risky, this can provide insights into innovation.
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- Crowdfunding Platforms. Companies and inventors can raise funds to bring their technologies to market by directly engaging with the public. Popular platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo can help gauge market interest.
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- Crowdsourcing Ideas. Platforms like InnoCentive allow companies to post problems and offer rewards for solutions, enabling the harvesting of global ideas and innovations.
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- Scanning for Emerging Tech. Firms often employ technology scouts to search for new technologies that could be adopted, licensed, or acquired. This involves monitoring patent filings, academic publications, and industry trends.
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- Subsidies and Funding. Governments often provide grants and funding to develop or commercialise new technologies, particularly in fields like green energy, biotechnology, or defence.
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- Public-Private Partnerships. Governments may partner with the private sector to develop key technologies and infrastructure projects.
Indian Aerospace Industry and Technology Harvesting
The Indian aerospace industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades, shifting from a sector heavily reliant on imports to one that is making substantial progress in indigenous development. This evolution has been primarily driven by government initiatives, defence collaborations, foreign investments, and, most notably, technology harvesting.
Evolution of the Indian Aerospace Industry. The foundation of India’s aerospace industry was laid in the early 1940s with the establishment of Hindustan Aircraft Limited (now Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, HAL). Over the years, the Indian government, through organisations such as DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), and private-sector initiatives, has fostered aerospace capabilities. Despite significant progress, India still relies heavily on imported technology, particularly in critical areas such as jet engines, avionics, and stealth technology.
Technology Harvesting in the Indian Aerospace Industry. Technology harvesting has played a crucial role in advancing India’s aerospace capabilities. The country employs multiple strategies to acquire and integrate advanced technology, including technology transfer agreements, joint ventures, back engineering, and indigenous R&D.
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- Technology Transfer. India has effectively utilised offsets and technology transfer agreements in defence procurement deals as a key strategy for technology harvesting. These agreements, which mandate foreign firms to invest a portion of the contract value in India’s defence sector, have fostered local expertise and infrastructure development. For instance, the Rafale Deal with Dassault Aviation, France, involves the transfer of advanced radar, avionics, and composite material manufacturing techniques to Indian firms. Similarly, India’s partnerships with Boeing and Lockheed Martin have led to the domestic manufacturing of C-130J Super Hercules airframes and Apache attack helicopter components.
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- Joint Ventures. The Indian government has encouraged joint ventures between domestic and foreign companies to accelerate technology harvesting. These partnerships allow Indian firms to access cutting-edge aerospace technology while contributing to global supply chains. Notable joint ventures include Tata Advanced Systems and Lockheed Martin for manufacturing C-130J Super Hercules airframes in India, Adani and Elbit Systems (Israel) for UAV production under the “Make in India” initiative, and L&T and ISRO Collaboration for developing reusable launch vehicles and space technologies.
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- Indigenous Aerospace Programs and Achievements. Technology harvesting has significantly influenced India’s ability to develop indigenous aerospace programs. The success of these programs is a testament to India’s growing self-reliance in the sector.
Successes
India’s aerospace industry has made significant strides in technology development over the past few decades, particularly in indigenous aircraft production, space exploration, and defence technology. Here’s a look at its notable successes and challenges.
Indigenous Aircraft Development. One of the achievements is the development of the HAL Tejas, a fourth-generation multi-role light combat aircraft. The Tejas has proven successful in designing, engineering, and integrating advanced systems, though it still faces some challenges related to production timelines and numbers.
Space Technology. ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has shown significant technological advances, especially in satellite technology and space exploration. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) and Chandrayaan missions to the Moon were notable successes, signalling India’s growing expertise in space missions.
GSLV & PSLV Rockets. India has developed reliable launch vehicles, particularly the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), making India one of the leading providers of commercial satellite launches globally. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) has been crucial for launching heavier payloads, demonstrating a significant leap in India’s rocket development.
Missile Technology. India’s missile technology, mainly through the Agni and Prithvi series, has significantly succeeded in strategic and tactical weapons. The BrahMos, a joint venture with Russia, is among the world’s fastest cruise missiles and showcases India’s ability to partner internationally while developing cutting-edge technology.
Hypersonic and Space Technologies. India is making strides in hypersonic technology, a critical frontier in aerospace innovation. The Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), developed by DRDO, is a significant step toward mastering scramjet propulsion for future hypersonic missiles and aircraft.
Challenges.
Delays in Aircraft Production. While successful, the HAL Tejas program has faced significant delays. Initially expected to enter service in the late 1990s, the Tejas project has been plagued by issues related to engine integration, production delays, and insufficient numbers for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Missed Opportunities in Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing. India has failed to develop a competitive indigenous commercial aircraft. The RTA-70 was initially conceived as a regional aircraft but has not progressed beyond the conceptual stages. HAL’s failure to enter the commercial aircraft market has kept India from tapping into a potentially lucrative market, especially with rising demand for air travel in Asia.
Reliance on Foreign Technology. While India has made strides in many defence technologies, it remains heavily dependent on foreign technology for critical components, such as aircraft engines, avionics, and radar systems. The Kaveri engine, developed for the Tejas, faced performance issues, leading to continued reliance on foreign suppliers like GE Aviation for the Tejas’ engine. Similarly, radar and electronic warfare systems are often imported.
Slower Transition to 5th Generation Aircraft. India’s pursuit of a fifth-generation aircraft, specifically the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft), has been slow. While it is an ambitious project, it faces development timelines and funding challenges. Additionally, India’s slow progress in stealth technology has led to delays compared to countries like China and Russia, which are already advancing.
Challenges in Commercial Space. While ISRO has achieved remarkable success in government and scientific space exploration, it has not yet fully capitalised on the commercial space sector. Although India has been a competitive player in satellite launches, it faces stiff competition from U.S. and European private companies. The growth of private space players like SpaceX has overshadowed ISRO’s commercial potential in the global space race.
Way Ahead
The way ahead for technology harvesting by the Indian aerospace industry lies in a multi-pronged approach, focusing on leveraging global innovations, fostering indigenous capabilities, and enhancing collaboration between government, private sector, and academia. India has historically depended on technology imports to meet the demands of its aerospace sector. Still, with growing aspirations for self-reliance, the industry is actively working on increasing its technological base. A significant step in this direction is the Indian government’s push for the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-reliant India) initiative, which encourages domestic manufacturing and innovation.
Key areas for technology harvesting include advanced materials, propulsion systems, avionics, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Collaboration with global aerospace leaders and partnerships with foreign entities through joint ventures and knowledge exchange programs will enable the Indian aerospace sector to integrate cutting-edge technologies. The private sector’s growing role, exemplified by companies like Tata Advanced Systems and Reliance Aerospace, is crucial in driving innovation and attracting foreign direct investment. These companies are now working to develop advanced systems and technologies that could be exported globally. Additionally, academia and research institutions like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) play a pivotal role in fostering research and development in key areas such as avionics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, which are rapidly transforming the aerospace sector.
Conclusion.
The Indian aerospace industry is on a transformative path, leveraging technology harvesting to bridge the gap between domestic capabilities and global standards. Through strategic partnerships, reverse engineering and indigenous R&D, India is steadily reducing its reliance on foreign suppliers. The success of projects like Tejas, AMCA, and hypersonic weapons development showcases India’s ability to absorb and innovate upon harvested technology. Further investments in jet engine technology, stealth aircraft, and AI-driven aerospace solutions will be key to solidifying India’s global power position. By strengthening its ecosystem through private sector participation and continued technology absorption, India is poised to achieve genuine self-reliance in aerospace and defence.
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References:-
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