Replace fragmented tech plans with focused strategic blueprints

States must deploy differentiated strategies to attract investment, spur growth and foster innovation in frontier technologies

- B.V.R. SUBRAHMANYAM & DEBJANI GHOSH

Historically, state-level information technology (IT) strategies in India have revolved around generic goals—becoming hubs for global capability centers (GCCs), fostering startup ecosystems or launching AI/quantum cities. While well-intentioned, this fragmented and undifferentiated approach often yields limited returns and fails to establish clear leadership or competitive differentiation. Transitioning from traditional IT plans to comprehensive and integrated tech blueprints is crucial for states to effectively capitalize on emerging opportunities and attract higher tech investments.

Why the need for change now? A new approach is becoming essential because technology is becoming the backbone of growth, productivity and competitiveness across all sectors, rather than functioning as a standalone industry. To fully harness the potential of emerging technologies, states must move beyond siloed and generic IT initiatives and adopt integrated, sector-aligned tech blueprints. This strategic shift is crucial for maximizing economic growth, creating future-ready jobs, enhancing industrial competitiveness, improving public service delivery, ensuring regional and national security and attracting more investment.

The NITI Frontier Tech Hub actively collaborates with interested states to facilitate this essential shift. Here are key insights from our experience to help create a blueprint for a state-level tech transformation:

Start with problems or opportunities, not technologies: Begin by identifying the core challenges or unique opportunities within the state, leveraging inherent regional strengths. For example, Odisha's abundance of critical minerals (bauxite, chromite, rare earths, graphite) offers a tremendous unique advantage. A focused tech blueprint that unlocks value across the entire mineral value chain—from extraction to advanced material manufacturing—will deliver far greater returns than a generic tech policy would.