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Technology must not become a pawn in the geo-politics game: Kalam

Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, the brain behind India's missile programme and advisor to the defence minister, today said science and technology were part of a global arena in the age of the World Trade Organisation and should not be disturbed by technology denial regimes.

''In the environment of sanctions, the concept of global village is a myth. In today's world of politics, unfortunately, technology and commerce have become tools in the name of sanctions, embargoes and technology denials.

''It is the duty of the scientific and technology community to ensure that technology does not become a pawn in the hands of geo-politics,'' Dr Kalam said, while inaugurating the third international conference and bi-annual meeting of International Associations of Technology Assessment and Forecasting Institutions in New Delhi.

India had recently decided to complain to the WTO against the US decision to extend sanctions to some more Indian companies and their subsidiaries.

Kalam also said India could combat the fresh extension of sanctions, stating that if the "country is strong, it can combat sanctions".

Dr Kalam said that whenever embargoes had been slapped on any country, that country had emerged as a cost-effective technology-developer, including in high technology areas.

Software engineering products, skilled manpower and cost-effective manufacturing were the ''core competence areas'' of India and it could become a major global player by capitalising on these, he said.

Dr Kalam said that for a developing country to become a developed one, it was essential to sell and buy technology-intensive products in domestic and global markets. Such buying and selling also helped a developed country remain developed, he said.

He hoped the three-day international conference would address technologies developed by countries like India, which were cost-effective, appropriate and with certain indigenous process and design.

Indigenous technology systems had made India self-reliant in food production, milk, vegetables, fruits, cereals and certain engineering systems and also in space, defence technology and nuclear technology to a great extent, the scientific advisor to the defence minister said.

With scientists from a range of developed and developing countries, including Germany, the US, Hungary, Belgium, China, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and India attending the meet, it was an ideal forum to discuss native experiences and solutions, he said.

UNI

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