Fundamental and Applied Research for the 'Make in India' Programme

There are always discussions in the media regarding the role of science for the benefit of the society. This has become particularly relevant in view of the current emphasis on the 'Make in India' programme. In this year's Indian Science Congress, the issue was raised as to whether India should be investing in research in fundamental science or in applied science. Whenever there is a successful advancement in fundamental research, its outcome in any branch of science takes decades or more, before it can be of societal value. A good example is Einstein's famous equation E = mc² proposed in 1905. Decades later, this idea resulted in controlled nuclear energy to produce electricity. This delay between research in fundamental science and its application to the enrichment of the society is unpredictable. However, such a delay is by no means a deterrent to the development of the technology emanating from the research in applied sciences.