Technology Vision 2035 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the ‘Technology Vision Document 2035’ at the 103rd Indian Science Congress on 3rd January 2016. The document foresees the Indians of 2035, and technologies required for fulfilling their needs. It is dedicated to late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.

The Prime Minister hoped the 12 Sectoral Technology roadmaps being prepared by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council, (TIFAC), which is also the author of the ‘Technology Vision 2035’ document, would excite our scientists and decision makers. The 12 identified sectors of Vision Document are: Education; Medical Sciences & Healthcare; Food and Agriculture; Water; Energy; Environment; Habitat; Transportation; Infrastructure; Manufacturing; Materials; Information and Communication Technology.

The Aim of this ‘Technology Vision Document 2035’ is to ensure the Security, Enhancing of Prosperity, and Enhancing Identity of every Indian, which is stated in the document as “Our Aspiration” or “Vision Statement” in all languages of the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. The Vision documents also identifies twelve (12) prerogatives- (six for meeting individual needs and six for the collective needs) that should be available to each and every Indian.

Individual Prerogatives are: Clean air and potable water; Food and nutritional security; Universal healthcare and public hygiene; 24x7 energy; Decent habitat; Quality education, livelihood and creative opportunities. Collective Prerogatives are: Safe and speedy mobility; Public safety and national security; Cultural diversity and vibrancy; Transparent and effective governance; Disaster and climate resilience; and Eco-friendly conservation of natural resources.

The document dwells upon the grand challenges in the field of Technologies which, it says, we should resolve as a nation. The challenges are: Guaranteeing nutritional security and eliminating female and child anaemia; Ensuring quantity and quality of water in all rivers and aquatic bodies; Providing learner centric, language neutral and holistic education to all; Developing commercially viable decentralized and distributed energy for all; Making India non-fossil fuel based; Securing critical resources commensurate with the size of our country; Ensuring universal eco-friendly waste management; Taking the railway to Leh and Tawang; Understanding national climate patterns and adapting to them; and Ensuring location independent electoral and financial empowerment. In order to overcome these challenges, the Vision Document 2035 envisages a rational assessment of the capabilities and constraints of the Indian technological landscape.