High-Tech Geopolitics Programme
The HTG Programme at The Takshashila Institution explores the geopolitics of technology from an Indian national interest perspective.
About the Programme
Nations are vying for dominance in several critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, semiconductors, telecommunications, and cybersecurity to gain strategic advantage. Rivalries between major powers are intensifying as they invest in research and development, IP protection, and industrial policies.
Developing countries like India are also striving to enhance their capabilities. The HTG Programme works on navigating these issues while balancing growth, security, ethics, and international cooperation as crucial factors responsible for shaping the future of emerging technologies, and the geopolitics associated with it.
Our work on formulating a Techno-Strategic Doctrine for India lays out imperatives, objectives, and approaches to thinking about technology and strategy.
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Our Areas of Focus
Advanced Computing
This initiative is aimed at understanding the geopolitics of high speed and quantum computing, evaluating India's strengths and weaknesses in these fields, and proposing policies to give India an advantage.
Read about our work on Building India’s Quantum Ecosystem
Information Politics
This initiative is dedicated to understanding geopolitics in the Information Age. One of the key projects under this initiative is to develop a governance mechanism for digital communication networks, in ways that maximise the benefits and minimise the harms.
Read about our work on Rebooting Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India
Takshashila’s The Siliconpolitik Project tries to answer how do semiconductors play a role in changing the global technology landscape and what role does India have to play in it? Our work spans the semiconductor IC ecosystem, metals and materials used in producing electronics, and the broader electronics ecosystem.
Read about our SWOT Analysis of India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem
Technical Standards
The next geopolitical tussle between technologically advanced states will be the race to set technical standards in critical and emerging technologies. What should India’s approach be? That's the focus of the Technical Standards Initiative.
Read about our work on Navigating the Geopolitics of International Technical Standards for India
Strategic Minerals and Materials
Strategic minerals & materials, including rare earth elements, have significant strategic and commercial applications. Considering the post-pandemic geopolitical and economic trends, the global rare earths supply chain offers a precious opportunity for India to emerge as a rare earths supplier for the world.
Read about our work on A Rare Earths Strategy for India
Open Technology
The open technology approach involves using a combination of open source software, open data, and open standards and specifications.
Read about our work on An Open Tech Strategy for India
Recent Analysis
By Satya S Sahu, Shrikrishna Upadhyaya, Bharath Reddy, Sridhar Krishna, Bharat Sharma & Saurabh Todi
By Aditya Ramanathan, Pranay Kotasthane, Sarthak Pradhan, and Satya Sahu
By Bharath Reddy, Nitin Pai, Rijesh Panicker, Satya S. Sahu, Sridhar Krishna
By Bharath Reddy and Rijesh Panicker
By Saurabh Todi and Pranay Kotasthane
By Satya S. Sahu & Miheer Karandikar
By Shrikrishna Upadhyaya
By Pranay Kotasthane and Nitin Pai
By Saurabh Todi, Shambhavi Naik, Dirk Van Der Kley, and Daniel Pavilch
Recent Commentaries
By Amit Kumar & Satya Sahu
By Bharath Reddy & Saurabh Todi
By Satya S Sahu & Rijesh Panicker
By Pranay Kotasthane & Abhiram Manchi
By Pranay Kotasthane & Abhiram Manchi
By Satya S Sahu & Amit Kumar
Meet the HTG Team
Nitin Pai is co-founder and director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent centre for research and education in public policy. His current research includes the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific; defence economics and the politics of radically networked societies.
Pranay Kotasthane is deputy director of the Takshashila Institution. Pranay’s current research includes high tech geopolitics and the politics of radically networked societies. Pranay teaches public policy, international relations, and public finance at Takshashila’s graduate and post-graduate programmes.
Aditya is an Associate Fellow with the Takshashila Institution. A journalist by training, he has previously worked at Mint and as a freelancer. He has also researched and written on colonial-era Indian military history.
Saurabh is a Research Analyst working with the High-Tech Geopolitics Programme at the Takshashila Institution. He tracks geopolitics of emerging technologies, especially in the field of biotechnology. His research interests also include export controls, WMD issues and the geostrategic dynamic between India, China, and the United States.
Satya is a research analyst working with the High-tech Geopolitics programme at Takshahsila. His research interests span a broad range of topics including Semiconductor Geo-Politics, Artificial Intelligence Regulation, and India's Technology Law and Policy landscape.
Bharath Reddy is the Programme Manager for the Graduate Certificate in Public Policy, focusing on Technology and Policy. His research interests are at the intersections of technology, geopolitics, and India's national interests, focusing on AI governance, open-source technologies, and telecommunications.
Rijesh is a Fellow with the High-Tech Geopolitics programme at the Takshashila Institution. He works on issues related to the evolution of and geopolitics surrounding quantum technologies.