Commentary
Find our newspaper columns, blogs, and other commentary pieces in this section. Our research focuses on Advanced Biology, High-Tech Geopolitics, Strategic Studies, Indo-Pacific Studies & Economic Policy
Moneycontrol | From Technological Rivalry to Global Governance: The path forward
By Arindam Goswami
The current geopolitical landscape is shaped by technological nationalism, driven by competition in AI and semiconductors. However, game theory and historical examples suggest that this phase will evolve into co-operative frameworks, balancing national interests with global technological cooperation
By Arindam Goswami
Read the full article here.
Indian Express | The colonial era of AI is here — India must chart its own course
By Arindam Goswami
The Paris AI Action Summit, with its impressive array of declarations and initiatives, could not mask a deeper geopolitical reality: We have entered the colonial era of artificial intelligence, where corporate sovereignty increasingly trumps national sovereignty, and global governance and ethics have been put on the backburner while still being paid lip service. The final declaration by the real power players— the US and the UK — speaks volumes. They are the tech giants who have effectively colonised the digital frontier.
By Arindam Goswami
Read the full article here.
Firstpost | Paris AI Summit: How Indo-French partnership can be a rule maker for future innovations
By Arindam Goswami
As co-chair of the AI Action Summit in Paris, India, under the prime ministership of Narendra Modi, has the opportunity to kickstart a new chapter in global technological cooperation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a pervasive impact across different sectors. In that sense, it is a general-purpose technology (GPT), to borrow the term from Jeffrey Ding’s GPT Diffusion Theory, which promises to reshape various sectors. Nations are grappling with both its enormous potential and inherent challenges. Now is the time to come together and collaborate on setting a strong foundation for the years to come.
With its considerable experience in building and running a vast digital public infrastructure, coupled with a workforce that has proven expertise in software development, India could become an important voice in the global AI discourse
By Arindam Goswami
Read the full article here.
Firstpost | Creative insecurity: What India can learn from Chinese DeepSeek saga
By Arindam Goswami and Shobhankita Reddy
DeepSeek benefitted from a supportive structural Chinese research and development ecosystem that existed for several decades. Also, Xi Jinping’s vision for a ‘Chinese Dream’ and national rejuvenation is rooted in technological supremacy
By Arindam Goswami and Shobhankita Reddy
Read the full article here.
StratNews Global | China’s R&D Engine: Technology Diffusion Seamlessly Across Sectors
By Arindam Goswami
China's giant strides in developing cutting-edge technologies and ensuring these are disseminated where they are needed, is a tribute to the scientific eco-system they have evolved.
Massive investment, a deliberate alignment of, and removal of barriers between military and civilian research, and a clear commitment to becoming the global leader in critical technologies are vital characteristics of China’s S&T ecosystem.
It is a whole-system approach, which also focuses on building the requisite skill infrastructure, and recognises the capacity of General Purpose Technologies (GPTs) to increase economic productivity, and thereby, military prowess, by the process of diffusion into pervasive use in a wide range of activities and sectors.
By Arindam Goswami
Read the full article here.
Firstpost | As AI arms race heats up, India’s role will be crucial
By Arindam Goswami
While India may not be competing directly in Graphics Processing Unit manufacturing, its software-centric approach to AI development could redefine the parameters of technological leadership in the artificial intelligence era.
As countries seek to diversify their tech partnerships beyond the US-China axis, India's growing AI capabilities and neutral stance could make it an attractive collaborator.
By Arindam Goswami
Read the full article here.
NDTV | Is India Ready To Go All-EV By 2034? Absolutely Not
By Arindam Goswami
A few days ago, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari made a startling announcement: the Union Government plans to eliminate petrol and diesel vehicles by 2034, replacing them primarily with electric vehicles (EVs). This bold move, touted as a step toward reducing carbon emissions and achieving climate goals, could lead India into a crisis of epic proportions if not meticulously planned and executed. The hidden carbon footprint of EVs, the inadequacy of our renewable energy infrastructure, the strain on our power grid and the economic and geopolitical ramifications, all paint a grim picture of a policy that could backfire disastrously.
By Arindam Goswami
Read the full article here.
Firspost | The carbon quandary: AI, big data, and impending environmental crisis
By Arindam Goswami
AI’s potential in combating climate change is tempered by a sobering reality: Its reliance on power-hungry data centres. Can ‘green AI’ become a reality before it’s too late?
By Arindam Goswami
Read the full article here.
As China Threat Looms Over Taiwan, This Is How India Can Keep Global Chip Industry Afloat
By Arjun Gargeyas
As the Russia-Ukraine crisis continues, questions have been raised about how this might affect China’s decision-making process on Taiwan. The island nation remains under threat from potential Chinese aggression and its lucrative semiconductor industry hangs in the balance. India, as a growing semiconductor power, must look at Taiwan closely on technology cooperation in the domain and should not shy away from building a semiconductor alliance with the country. It is imperative that Taiwan’s semiconductor industry be protected in case of external aggression by building redundancy and resiliency through partnerships with key states like India.
India’s Solar And Renewable Energy Push Signals Challenge To Chinese Dominance
By Arjun Gargeyas
As finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman read out her Budget speech in Parliament on 1 February, the stock prices of domestic solar manufacturers such as Adani Solar, Tata Power and Suzlon rose sharply in response to government’s big push to green energy. With India setting specific goals for the reduction of carbon emissions as seen from the signalling at the COP-26 summit, the competition for dominating the global renewable energy markets is something to watch out for.