A Quantum Gathering in Bengaluru
At the heart of Bengaluru’s buzzing scientific ecosystem, two Nobel Laureates in Physics—Prof. Duncan Haldane (2016) and Prof. David Gross (2004)—voiced a firm, thought-provoking message on Thursday: India may be brimming with scientific talent, but it lacks the fuel—investment and infrastructure—to power its rise as a scientific superpower.
Speaking at the Quantum India Summit, themed ‘Building a Quantum Ecosystem: Qubits to Society’, the laureates emphasized the urgent need for India to strengthen its foundational research ecosystem to retain its brightest minds and compete globally in deep-tech areas like quantum computing.
Brain Drain: A Symptom of Missed Opportunities
"You can’t expect young, brilliant minds to stay if they’re not given opportunities to grow,” said Prof. David Gross, responding to a question about India’s ongoing brain drain. He stressed that many of India’s brightest researchers—currently working in the US and Europe—often leave due to limited local opportunities in advanced science and research.
Prof. Haldane echoed this concern, saying, “If India wants to reverse the brain drain, it must build better conditions and invest deeply in basic research. You can’t wait for breakthroughs by just following trends—there has to be an ecosystem that encourages discovery.”
The Infrastructure Gap in Fundamental Research
According to the laureates, India’s approach to science still tilts too heavily toward applied or borrowed technologies. Developing truly novel technologies like quantum devices, new materials, or computational systems, they argued, requires a strong bedrock of basic science—something India is still struggling to scale up.
“Questions like how quantum mechanics and gravity reconcile are still open. Answering them takes deep, slow, expensive science,” said Haldane.
Gross, who also chairs the International Advisory Board at Bengaluru’s International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, was particularly candid about India’s low R&D investment. He cited a worrying drop in India's research spending from 0.84% of GDP in 2009 to just 0.64% in 2021, despite an increase in overall GDP.
Government and Industry Must Share the Burden
The laureates also pointed out that research investment cannot rest solely on the government’s shoulders. Industries must step up to support science if India wants to evolve into a global innovation leader.
Prof. Haldane noted that India must create incentives for its scientific diaspora to return, saying, “Make it attractive for them to come back—not just emotionally, but professionally.”
To its credit, India has initiated efforts like the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the Vigyan Dhara scheme, with a ₹1,425 crore allocation this year to support scientific research. But both laureates cautioned that such initiatives must be sustained and scaled for long-term impact.
The Human Capital Paradox
“I’ve been visiting Karnataka for over 20 years,” said Gross, “and while I see visible improvements, I also see a paradox—a sea of brilliant young people, many of whom are still denied the level of education and mentorship they deserve.”
While praising the Indian youth for their intellect and ambition—often thriving once they move abroad—Gross was less impressed by the systemic support back home.
“I had hoped India would overtake China in research and development. But frankly, I’ve been disappointed,” he said bluntly.
A Call to Action
The message from Bengaluru’s quantum summit was clear: India has the brains, but it needs the backing. With stronger infrastructure, better R&D funding, and a joint push by both government and industry, India could not only retain its scientific talent but also lead the charge in transformative technologies of the future.
As Haldane aptly put it, “You can’t build the next big thing in science by copying others. You have to invest in the science that lets you imagine it first.”
(With agency inputs)
