'Build, don't borrow': N Chandrasekaran on India's tech sovereignty

2026-06-15
'Build, don't borrow': N Chandrasekaran on India's tech sovereignty

Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran has highlighted a critical shift in the global economic landscape, arguing that for India, mastering indigenous technology has evolved from a mere strategy for economic expansion into a fundamental necessity for national sovereignty.

Speaking on the imperative of technological independence, Chandrasekaran emphasised that the era of relying on borrowed or imported technology is reaching a turning point. He suggests that for a nation to maintain true autonomy in an increasingly digital and interconnected world, it must transition from being a consumer of global innovation to a primary creator of its own technological solutions.

The call for a "build, don't borrow" approach marks a significant pivot in how major industrial leaders view the intersection of technology and geopolitics. As global supply chains face heightened scrutiny and technological competition intensifies between major world powers, the ability to develop domestic capability is no longer viewed as an optional luxury for developing economies, but as a core pillar of security and self-reliance.

For India, this transition involves moving beyond service-oriented models toward deep-tech innovation and original research and development. By fostering an ecosystem that prioritises home-grown intellectual property, the nation aims to secure its position in the global hierarchy, ensuring that its economic and strategic future is driven by its own advancements rather than external dependencies.

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