Slow and steady wins the race; true; but, a problem is that India is too slow on many fronts in these days of fast-paced life. The Global Innovation Index GII 2020, the latest in a series, has put India two notches up compared to the previous year, on its innovation-linked strengths. The list prepared by World Intellectual Property Organisation and some others covered over 130 nations to make the presentation.
The West is naturally on top, and Asia lags very much behind. Switzerland tops the chart, followed by Sweden, the United States, the UK and the Netherlands among the top five. India, however is named as the top most-innovative middle-income economy; a small comfort. While China brought down its rank to 13, and rubbed shoulders with the West, the Asian nations other than India in the below-fifty rankings include the Philippines and Vietnam.
Notably, India’s slight improvement in ranking is mainly due to its Information and Communications Technology sector achievements, while most other sectors put up a poor show in terms of innovation. Innovation is the key to success in business and enterprises. Innovation is the key to achieving high standards of governance. India with its bookworms in administrative apparatus and corrupt politicians in governance systems fails the nation on all fronts. Innovation is rare to find here. India remained at 64th position in the area of creative outputs on a scale of 131 nations. It’s the reason why many Chinese products are sold fast here; Indian products are mostly archaic in their concepts. All big talks about super power status for a nation of this strength and clout will be nothing more than a cruel joke played on the hapless people of this nation. The more than seven decades of Independence and rule by Desi leaders, with no regard to merit, have not taken India far. Every sector is ailing.
The Railways, for one; something which the British Raj left in excellent shape in the late 1940, has not shown significant innovation. The age of Bullet trains, or high-speed trains, arrived on the world stage decades ago. India is still struggling with its antiquated rail systems, old rakes and old tracks lacking even in proper maintenance. Even the bullet train project that PM Modi sought to bring in on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector is failing to progress, caught as it is in the tug of war between politicians. Good leadership and less of political cacophony in the name of democracy should help the nation think anew and in innovative ways.
