Title: Nehru & Indira drove away Intel from India; it went to China: BJP
The Indian technology sector has been a significant contributor to the country’s economic growth in recent years. However, the journey to achieving this level of success has been marked by several setbacks, including the loss of opportunities to attract major semiconductor companies like Intel and Fairchild. A recent statement by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has reignited the debate on this topic, claiming that the policies of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi drove these companies away from India, leading them to establish themselves in China instead.
Dubey, in his tweet, stated that it was Intel that played a crucial role in the development of Silicon Valley in America, where more than half of the jobs are held by Indians. He further claimed that the lack of vision and policy support from the government during Nehru and Indira’s tenure led to the departure of these companies, which ultimately went to China.
The argument put forth by Dubey is not entirely unfounded. The Indian government’s policies during the 1950s and 1960s were indeed restrictive and hostile towards foreign investment, particularly in the technology sector. The license raj, which was implemented during this period, made it extremely difficult for companies to set up shop in India. This led to a significant decline in foreign investment in the country, and many companies, including Intel and Fairchild, chose to establish themselves in other countries with more favorable business environments.
China, which was just beginning to open up to the world during this period, offered a more attractive proposition to these companies. The Chinese government’s policies were more welcoming to foreign investment, and the country’s vast manufacturing capacity and cheap labor made it an attractive location for companies looking to set up shop. As a result, many of the companies that had previously considered India as a potential location for their operations instead chose to establish themselves in China.
The loss of Intel and Fairchild from India was a significant blow to the country’s technology sector. Both companies were major players in the global semiconductor industry, and their departure left a vacuum that was difficult to fill. The Indian government’s failure to attract and retain these companies meant that the country was unable to develop its own semiconductor industry, and it was forced to rely on imports.
The impact of this decision was felt for many years to come. India’s technology sector struggled to develop, and the country was unable to compete with China in the global market. It wasn’t until much later, in the 1990s and 2000s, that the Indian government began to liberalize its policies and attract foreign investment in the technology sector. This led to the establishment of companies like Infosys and Wipro, which helped to drive India’s technology sector forward.
However, the legacy of Nehru and Indira’s policies continues to be felt in India today. The country’s technology sector is still in the process of catching up with China, and it continues to struggle to compete with its Asian rival. The debate over whether Nehru and Indira’s policies were responsible for the departure of Intel and Fairchild from India is likely to continue, but one thing is clear: the loss of these companies was a significant setback for India’s technology sector, and it took many years for the country to recover from the damage.
In conclusion, Nishikant Dubey’s statement that Nehru and Indira drove away Intel from India, leading it to establish itself in China, is a reminder of the significant setbacks that India’s technology sector faced in the past. While it is impossible to know for certain whether Dubey’s statement is entirely accurate, one thing is clear: the policies of Nehru and Indira played a significant role in shaping India’s technology sector, and their legacy continues to be felt today.
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