Does innovation require a roadmap?

I am a firm believer of the old management adage of 'what gets measured gets delivered'. To approach a gigantic problem in a country like India requires multiple stakeholders to jointly approach the problem. Such a collaborative approach works best with a plan, a roadmap.

During the April of 2008 it was my pleasure to host Mr. Larry W. Sumney, President & CEO of Semiconductor Research Corporation and Dr. Steven J Hillenius, Executive Vice President, SRC & Executive Director, GRC, in India. We went to three cities across the country - Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi. There was growing realization amongst all the students, researchers, professors, industry leaders, bureaucrats and government leaders of a need to build roadmaps for research, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare, energy and security. Mr. Sumney and his small but extremely effective team have been delivering one of the most critical yeoman services to the semiconductor industry - a collaborative approach towards semiconductor research. There is a dire need for Indian researchers to be part of this global collaboration.

While on this topic, it is also important for me to share my very personal perspectives on 'India's own chip'. Every nation aspires to grow up the value chain as a result of the collective action of how an individual or an industry loves to grow. The resultant action, if managed well through the growth process, can deliver beautiful results for the government, industry and citizens at large. A simple agriculture economy, too dependent on the monsoons still, has grown over the last sixty odd years from a poor country to being a developed nation.

It isn't incidental for the French government to invite Indian Prime Minister for their national day and becoming the first foreigner to do so. The Indian contingent marching in Paris yesterday signalled the coming of a very different India. An India which doesn't have a fascist attitude, nor any dictatorial aspirations, nor to create a bonhomie of a sort which signals India's desire to be a super-power. The attitude of the nation has always been pretty simple and down-to-earth - and it gets amply demonstrated and represented by leaders such as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In this context, India's aspirations to grow naturally up the value chain by signalling the coming of the time for an Indian chip is a significant step forward. It has been waiting in the wings for long and can now be delivered with the strong support of the political leadership in the country. But, it has to be managed very effectively, for semiconductor R&D and manufacturing requires extremely good technology expertise along with an excellent infrastructure. We can’t be stuck up with a Mark-I Ambassador design for twenty years in this industry. Even twenty months will pose an issue. A constant innovation with a strong roadmap will be the basis for success.