Room 008, Amrut Mody School of Management
Central Campus
Ahmedabad University
India's pursuit of technological self-reliance has been a consistent thread woven into its growth narrative from the inception of five-year plans. This study delves into the evolution of India's approach to technological self-sufficiency by scrutinising two pivotal components of its technology and innovation policy: (i) patent policy, and (ii) R&D tax incentive policy. In the early years, the nation sought to establish a robust foundation for the indigenous development of industrial and critical technologies across diverse sectors like agriculture, defence, and space. This involved the creation of public research institutions, fostering in-house R&D initiatives in the corporate sector, and establishing public sector enterprises in key industries. While regulated technology transfers from abroad initially complemented these efforts, the dynamics have shifted over time.
Professor Sunil Mani has a distinguished academic career, having held key positions at prestigious institutions both in India and abroad. He served as the director and professor, holding the Reserve Bank of India Chair at the Centre for Development Studies in Trivandrum, Kerala. Prior to this, he was a faculty member and head of graduate studies at the United Nations University-Institute for New Technologies (now UNU-MERIT) in Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Professor Mani earned his MPhil and PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He furthered his academic pursuits with postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford, supported by a fellowship from the Ford Foundation, New York.
His expertise is internationally recognised through visiting professorships at prestigious institutions such as the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, Japan; Bocconi University in Milan, Italy; the University of Toulouse Jean Jaures in Toulouse, France; and the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, and presently, at Ahmedabad University.
Furthermore, Professor Mani significantly contributes to the scholarly community by serving on the editorial boards of two esteemed international journals: Structural Change and Economic Dynamics (Elsevier), and the International Journal of Technology and Globalization (Inderscience). He has also provided policy advice to the Department of Science and Technology of both India and South Africa, as well as various UN agencies and the World Bank.
His research impact is evident through an H-index of 10 and 25 on SCOPUS and Google Scholar, respectively. Specialising in the economics and policy studies of technology and innovation, Professor Mani's comprehensive list of publications can be accessed at the following link: Link to Professor Sunil Mani's publications
