Major Leap: India Advances from 37 to 45 Critical Technologies in Global Rankings
India has emerged as a strong contender in global research, achieving a top five ranking in 45 out of 64 critical technologies in 2023, a notable increase from 37 in the previous year. The Critical Technology Tracker report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute reveals that India ranks second in seven key technological areas.
Notably, India has surpassed the United States in two emerging areas of technological research: biological manufacturing and distributed ledger technology. In the rapidly advancing domain of artificial intelligence (AI), India ranks third globally, trailing only the US and China in key sectors such as advanced data analytics, AI algorithms, hardware accelerators, machine learning, integrated circuit design and fabrication, natural language processing, and adversarial AI.
This progress marks a remarkable improvement from 2003–2007, when India was in the top five for only four technologies. The tracker evaluates critical technologies across various domains, including space, defense, energy, environment, AI, robotics, biotechnology, cybersecurity, advanced computing, advanced materials, and quantum technology. It compiles data from 2003 to 2023, focusing on high-impact research, defined as the top 10% of the most-cited papers, to assess a country’s research capabilities, strategic objectives, and future technological potential.
China leads the global research landscape, dominating in 57 out of 64 critical technologies. Meanwhile, the US, which ranked first in 60 technologies from 2003 to 2007, now excels in just seven areas, including quantum computing and vaccine development. The UK has also experienced a decline, now ranking in the top five in 37 technologies, down from 44 last year. The European Union, as a bloc, leads in two categories—small satellites and gravitational force sensors—and ranks second in 30. Germany continues to perform well, appearing in the top five for 27 technologies.
While India has not yet achieved a leading position in any critical technology, it has claimed the second spot in fields such as high-specific machine processing, advanced composite materials, mesh and infrastructure-independent networks, smart materials, and biofuels. Additionally, India ranks third in several important areas, including electronic warfare, autonomous underwater vehicles, sonar and acoustic sensors, photonic sensors, post-quantum cryptography, photovoltaics, nuclear waste management, supercapacitors, and advanced aircraft engines.
However, the report underscores a significant challenge for India’s research landscape: the scarcity of standout research institutions. Only five Indian organizations have consistently ranked among the top five in the 64 technologies over the past two decades (2003-2023). The report notes that “this lack of standout performers, where research is highly fragmented, may hinder India’s ability to attract foreign research talent and motivate Indian scientists and technologists to remain at or return to Indian institutions.”
