Since gaining independence, India has strategically prioritized science and technology as fundamental pillars for national development and progress. This long-standing commitment is critical to understanding the nation’s contemporary ambitions and capabilities on the global stage. The initial impetus for this focus came directly from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, who served as a torchbearer by emphasizing education and laying the foundational framework for the country’s scientific and technological endeavors.

This briefing provides a strategic analysis of the chronological evolution of India’s key science and technology policies. It traces the shifting national priorities articulated in these landmark documents, beginning with the post-independence focus on establishing basic research capabilities, moving towards the achievement of technological self-reliance, and culminating in a modern paradigm centered on fostering inclusive innovation for all citizens. This journey reflects a maturing vision of S&T’s role in a developing nation. The analysis begins with the first formal policy document that set this trajectory in motion: the Scientific Policy Resolution of 1958.