ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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Role of Technology in International Affairs
therefore develop core competence in such critical space defence technologies
that will be closely guarded by advanced countries in the future.
Another paradox is that most technologies for missile defence have
potential anti-satellite capabilities. Hence, R&D on these technologies has
been a priority area for advanced nations and India must remain sensitive to
this. Missile defence requirements of individual nations however, may be quite
unique, and India needs to identify its own priorities. Major political and
strategic decisions regarding specific missile defence priorities and military
satellite programmes are needed urgently for strategic clarity and hence, India
urgently needs an integrated policy approach for harmonising space and
defence plans and projections. 14 India needs policy driven changes for building
robust military satellite programmes and a major momentum for well-directed
futuristic R&D for adequate self-reliance in these areas.
It can be concluded that while the above discussion is aimed at identifying
broad areas of technology priorities for defence and security requirements of
the country, the defence technology architecture for India must go beyond
just specific requirements. Defence R&D in the country needs to be totally
revamped along the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
model, wherein the thrust of R&D must be in futuristic enabling technologies,
such as smart materials, nano-sensors and circuits, bionics devices, advanced
computing, robotics and artificial intelligence, micro-satellites etc. Embedded
systems with integrated designs for surveillance, information gathering,
assimilation and analysis leading to efficient decision-making, will be vital to
success in the rapidly changing environment of the future. Integrated defence
planning involving all stake-holders in India’s future, including Indian industry,
will thus be the key to India’s defence and security in future.
Politics of Nuclear Weapons and International Affairs:
Indian Perspective
The pursuit of NW in the US during World War II was driven by the urgency
of acquiring ultimate techno-military superiority for decisive victory in the
long war. While the weapon tests were underway in total secrecy in the US
laboratories and deserts, the decision to use the weapon on Japan was perhaps
in response to the humiliating Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. One wonders
if Japanese intelligence had any inkling of the NW development, and if so,
whether the Pearl Harbour attack plans would have been aborted. The first
ever atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ (a 10 Kilo-Ton Uranium Bomb) dropped over