S & T in the Industrial Development of China: Comparison With and Implications for India

This chapter examines the policies adopted by the governments of China and India to foster technological development in their countries. This was done because technological progress was considered to be the key to economic development. It then discusses the policies adopted in some specific sectors, steel production, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and electric power generation and generating equipment. The evolution of these policies over time and the rationale for these changes are studied. The chapter goes on to evaluate the success of these policies in terms of moving to the technological frontier. The broad conclusion is that the nature of the policies adopted by the governments was critical in determining the outcomes. Broadly speaking, India was technologically ahead in steel production, pharmaceuticals, electricity power generation and equipment while China was ahead in the telecommunications sector.