Projects
Technology and Society
About the Project

This program focuses on five sets of imperatives:

  1. Data: on all issues related to data governance, privacy, cross-border data flows, and data access.
  2. Strategic Technologies: on industrial policy around India’s emerging semiconductor eco-system, space policy, export controls, new and transformative defense technologies, and their effects.
  3. Emerging Technologies: on biosafety and security, practices and efforts to shape distinct artificial intelligence (AI) regulatory practices, models of accessing AI compute, and the emerging global imperatives on the military applications of AI. 
  4. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): on (i) shaping outcomes on DPI principles (ii) providing practical roadmaps for alternative ways to build DPI rapidly (iii) DPI at the centre of inter-state dialogues (iv) working with DPI builders, architects, and implementers.
  5. Strategic Partnerships: on the India-U.S. initiative on Critical & Emerging Technology (iCET) with ideas, convenings, and practical research. We are starting work on supporting the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC).

The Technology and Society Program at Carnegie India is supported by Tata Trusts, Mohandas Pai, Nilekani Philanthropies, Meta India, Google India, Salesforce India, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Biocon, Syngene, Intel India, Amazon India, Microsoft India, SAP India, AWS India, WhatsApp India, BillDesk, Qualcomm India, Walmart India, LinkedIn India, and the National Payments Corporation of India. The Global Technology Summit is also supported by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

Our team

Rudra Chaudhuri

Director, Carnegie India

Rudra Chaudhuri is the director of Carnegie India. His research focuses on the diplomatic history of South Asia, contemporary security issues, and the important role of emerging technologies and digital public infrastructure in diplomacy, statecraft, and development. He and his team at Carnegie India chair and convene the Global Technology Summit, co-hosted with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Shruti Sharma

Fellow and Chief Coordinator, Global Technology Summit, Technology and Society Program

Shruti Sharma is a fellow with the Technology and Society Program at Carnegie India, where she is currently working on exploring the challenges and opportunities in leveraging biotechnology to improve public health capacity in India.

Konark Bhandari

Fellow, Technology and Society Program

Konark Bhandari is a fellow with Carnegie India.

Tejas Bharadwaj

Research Analyst, Technology and Society Program

Tejas Bharadwaj is a research analyst in the Technology and Society Program in Carnegie India.

Amlan Mohanty

Nonresident Research Fellow, Technology and Society Program

Amlan Mohanty is a nonresident research fellow with Carnegie India. His areas of expertise include privacy, content policy, platform regulation, competition and AI.

Shatakratu Sahu

Research Analyst and Senior Program Manager, Technology and Society Program

Shatakratu Sahu is a senior program manager and research analyst with the Technology and Society program at Carnegie India.

Ajay Kumar

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Technology and Society Program

Ajay Kumar is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. He served as the defense secretary of India between August 2019 and October 2022 and is the longest serving secretary in Ministry of Defence, where he also served as secretary in the Department of Defence Production. 

Arun K. Singh

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Technology and Society Program

Arun K. Singh is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. He has extensive experience across the globe, including as India’s ambassador to the United States, Israel, and France.

R. K. Misra

Nonresident Scholar, Technology and Society Program

R. K. Misra is a nonresident scholar at Carnegie India. Based in Bengaluru, he drives Carnegie India’s Technology and Society program, and engages with technology innovators and policymakers.

Anirudh Suri

Nonresident Scholar, Technology and Society Program

Anirudh Suri is a nonresident scholar with Carnegie India. His interests lie at the intersection of technology and geopolitics, climate, and strategic affairs.

Anantha S.

Nonresident Scholar, Technology and Society Program

Anantha S. is a nonresident scholar with Carnegie India.

Susmita Mohanty

Nonresident Scholar, Technology and Society Program

Susmita Mohanty is a nonresident scholar at Carnegie India. She is the director general of Spaceport SARABHAI, a ‘space’ think tank.

Global Technology Summit

The Global Technology Summit—Carnegie India’s annual flagship event, co-hosted with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India—brings together industry experts, policymakers, scientists, and other stakeholders from all over the world to deliberate on the changing nature of technology and geopolitics. Its aim is to create a new framework of engagement that addresses concerns of all stakeholders without hindering technological progress and innovation.

Global Technology Summit

The Global Technology Summit—Carnegie India’s annual flagship event, co-hosted with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India—brings together industry experts, policymakers, scientists, and other stakeholders from all over the world to deliberate on the changing nature of technology and geopolitics. Its aim is to create a new framework of engagement that addresses concerns of all stakeholders without hindering technological progress and innovation.

collection
India-U.S. Emerging Technologies Working Group

At the end of January 2023, India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and the U.S. NSA Jake Sullivan officially launched the United States-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). The Carnegie India Working Group studies, analyzes, and makes policy-relevant interventions in the various priority areas under the iCET. These include uncovering and recovering avenues for cooperation on semiconductors, civilian space technologies, defense innovation, bioeconomy, and quantum computing as well as the overall deepening of ties pertaining to science and technology. The working group is made up of experts within Carnegie India.

see the collection
collection
India-U.S. Emerging Technologies Working Group

At the end of January 2023, India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and the U.S. NSA Jake Sullivan officially launched the United States-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET). The Carnegie India Working Group studies, analyzes, and makes policy-relevant interventions in the various priority areas under the iCET. These include uncovering and recovering avenues for cooperation on semiconductors, civilian space technologies, defense innovation, bioeconomy, and quantum computing as well as the overall deepening of ties pertaining to science and technology. The working group is made up of experts within Carnegie India.

see the collection

All work from Technology and Society

257 Results
commentary
Disrupting AI Safety Institutes: The India Way

This essay presents a set of loose thoughts on what an India AI Safety Institute might look like. It is based on discussions with those in industry, government, and civil society actors who advocate for a “safety first” approach to AI.

· September 17, 2024
In The Media
in the media
Space and Artificial Intelligence for the Future of Bharat

The technologies related to AI and the celestial vault are dual, so the State and the market must collaborate.

· September 12, 2024
Limes
commentary
India Signs a Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) with the United States: What Can We Expect?

In August 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) entered into a Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) with the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD). This commentary attempts to highlight the issues that arise in the wake of the arrangement.

· September 6, 2024
event
Global Technology Summit Innovation Dialogue 2024
October 9, 2024
4:30 PM — 8:00 PM IST

The inaugural GTS Innovation Dialogue will be held in Bengaluru in October. Co-hosted with the Ministry of External Affairs, the dialogue will span two days, featuring both closed-door discussions and public conversations. The primary focus will be on closed-door sessions, organized in workshop and roundtable formats. The public segment will be limited to 3 to 4 hours to engage with the larger audience outside Delhi.

article
Understanding the Global Debate on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: An Indian Perspective

This article explores the global debate on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), highlighting the convergences, complexities, and differences within and beyond the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on LAWS. It further examines India’s key position at the GGE and the probable reasons behind them.

· August 30, 2024
In The Media
in the media
Scientific, Industry, Innovation, and Governance Landscape for Biotechnology Research and Development in the United States and India

At the workshop by National Academies, Shruti Sharma spoke about India's bioeconomy, the role of biomanufacturing, and the impact of U.S. biosecurity on India's bio industry.

· August 21, 2024
National Academies
In The Media
in the media
Unlocking India's Tech Potential

As India forges ahead with critical technology partnerships, it must streamline its bureaucratic machinery to fully capitalise on these strategic initiatives

· August 18, 2024
India Today
In The Media
in the media
India's Defense Startup Ecosystem is Arguably the World's Largest

In this article, Ajaykumar discusses India's journey in building the world's largest defense startup ecosystem, driven by innovation and government support through iDEX.

· August 11, 2024
The Week
In The Media
in the media
Indus-X Gurukul Educational Series: The Venture Experience

Konark Bhandari moderated a session on the defense ecosystems in India and the U.S.

· August 8, 2024
iDEX-DIO
In The Media
in the media
India’s Defence Startups Rise: Featuring Dr. Ajay Kumar

In this episode of The Core Report podcast, Ajay Kumar discusses the landscape of defense technology in India, the driving force behind the MTEC Growth Fund, and the transformative role of technology in modern warfare.

· August 3, 2024
The Core