One idea floating around is to lobby for opening up of defense related technology work for local companies. Another idea is to encourage more PhD students in computer science and related areas. But the most important idea is to fix academic research in India.
Today, there is too little academic research in computer science, and whatever little there is, is not the right kind. More trans-disciplinary research is needed. This requires changing the incentive and organisational structures in our academic institutions. Hopefully reform momentum in this area will pick up and this invention-centric ecosystem will acquire strength in the years to come.

Wrap-up: Reason For Optimism
If one looks through conventional eyes of invention-based innovation, India doesn’t yet have a strong story to tell. But, this would be an incomplete conclusion. India’s IT innovation landscape is rich, vibrant, and growing. True, it’s not a replica of what exists in the West and will not become one. This is not a deficiency; instead it’s a definite strength.

The predominantly homegrown nature of Indian innovation landscape gives it durability. Also, the fact that it is well anchored to the societal fabric ensures continued dynamism. And by chalking its own path, India is not following but is innovating innovation itself.
With about one-sixth of the world’s population in India, it is too big to rise out of poverty without creating wealth on its own. India’s growing innovation capability gives it that capacity for self-help. This can only be good news for the rest of the world.
Sharad Sharma was one of the jury members of the NASSCOMM Innovation Awards 2007. His 20 years experience in the enterprise software and wireless infrastructure sectors involves a turnaround (of VERITAS India operations), a startup (now part of Cisco), and an intrapreneurial setup of AT&T’s and later Lucent’s R&D operations in India in mid-90s. He has also managed product teams in both US and India. Sharad examines the transformation challenges facing the industry in his blog Orbit Change Conversations (orbitchange.com/blog).