India trails in critical tech, particularly semiconductor tech, Pg9

Context:

•  A new global Critical and Emerging Technologies Index ranks 25 countries on leadership across five strategic tech sectors. India trails significantly behind the U.S., China, and Europe, particularly in semiconductors.

Key Highlights:

• Critical and Emerging Technologies Index evaluates national performance in five key sectors: semiconductors (35% weight), AI (25%), biotech (20%), space (15%), quantum (5%).
• U.S. leads across all five domains; China follows, particularly strong in biotech and quantum. 
• Europe holds third place, strong in biotech and quantum but weak in semiconductors and space.
• India lags in semiconductors, quantum, and AI, despite some achievements in space and biotech.
• No country has full control over the semiconductor supply chain, making it geopolitically significant.

Detailed Insights:

• The index uses sector-specific weights to reflect geopolitical importance, dual-use potential, and economic impact.
• Semiconductors are weighted most heavily (35%) due to their foundational role in all other technologies.
• U.S. dominance stems from funding, talent, and innovation ecosystems in AI, chips, and space.
• China’s strength comes from centralised planning, scale, and state-led investments, with strong progress in biotech and quantum.
• Europe’s biotech and quantum sectors benefit from regulatory frameworks and academic collaboration but lack chip manufacturing capacity.
• India has institutional presence and ambitions but lacks high-end manufacturing, funding intensity, and skilled talent pipelines in key sectors.
• Semiconductor rankings favour countries like Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, highlighting India’s strategic vulnerability in chip design and manufacturing.
• In space tech, India ranks 7th; Russia holds 3rd spot due to defence-oriented assets.
• AI rankings prioritize funding, talent, and computing infrastructure; India is behind due to limited high-end research and private R&D.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Critical and Emerging Technologies Index: A multi-pillar, weighted index assessing national capabilities in semiconductors, AI, biotech, space, and quantum tech.
• Dual-Use Potential: Technologies that can serve both civilian and military applications, increasing their strategic value.
• Semiconductor Supply Chain: The global, interdependent production network for chips — spanning design, fabrication, packaging, and materials — critical for digital and defence infrastructure.
• Quantum Tech: Includes quantum computing, communication, and sensing; key to future encryption and computing breakthroughs.