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I don't see India innovating anywhere. What innovations have come out of India recently? Nothing except that we have a lot of cheap labor who can toil relentles

I don't see India innovating anywhere. What innovations have come out of India recently? Nothing except that we have a lot of cheap labor who can toil relentlessly without expecting too much neither delivery any great

edge17 16y ago
cheap labor is markets at work. you just sound pissed.
- bugsy 16y ago
  Presumably you have no response to his key question regarding what major tech innovations have come out of India recently. Perhaps those $10 laptop computers they announced?
mih 16y ago
Notion ink's Adam tablet springs to mind, although admittedly the buzz has died down of late. It might not be as popular as its competitors, but is innovative nonetheless
ankeshk 16y ago
One of the few Indian innovations that has received international press is the cheapest car in the world: Tata Nano. Other innovations from India: Generating electricity from rice husk: http://www.huskpowersystems.com/ http://www.huskpowersystems.com/ Vertical axis windmill: http://tepp-innovators.blogspot.com/2008/01/wind-turbines-on-roof-top.html http://tepp-innovators.blogspot.com/2008/01/wind-turbines-on... Microsoft, IBM, Cisco all have huge R&D labs in India. And the number of patents coming from them is not insignificant. Of course, the number of innovations per capita coming out of India is a lot lower vs those coming out of USA or Israel or someone. But India is not a laggard in innovation.
- kls 16y ago
  While I agree with your summation, that India is contributing innovation, I would be wary about using this one as an example: One of the few Indian innovations that has received international press is the cheapest car in the world This is more a product of cheap labor, cheap facilities and cheap materials than any truly innovative accomplishments.
  - ankeshk 16y ago
    Thanks. Although from what I remember, Tata Motors has 34 patents for the Nano car. Nano is designed in a way that it uses less steel than other cars - making it lighter and cheaper. Also, the wheel placement is done in a way that allows the car to be very small - yet the seating space be a lot more than other compact cars like Hyundai's Santro etc. And also - Tata Nano innovated on the assembly line model. The car is designed in a way that the car parts can be built separately and assembled in various locations. Thus, smaller plants are needed. (Sure, computers are built the same way too. But cars are not built that way by other companies. Tata replicated the computer manufacturing model and made cars available in "assembly kits.") I agree with you that the cheap labour helped in keeping costs down. But that was not the only thing. There is some really good innovation behind the car too.
- quanticle 16y ago
  Microsoft, IBM, Cisco all have huge R&D labs in India. And the number of patents coming from them is not insignificant. Of course, this presumes that patents == innovation, something that is clearly not the case, as demonstrated by the activities of patent trolls.
skbohra123 16y ago
Just the fact that everyone is so keen to know what India has innovated, makes me feel that something is happening. Talking about India is the latest way to grab the attention. After all why you want us to Innovate ? We will take our time. :)
edge17 16y ago
micro-finance. sure, lots of controversy in this space, but people are trying and investments are being made. there's a lot of systemic problems too like bureaucrats and lack of collaboration between universities and industry (when was the last time you read a published paper in school coming out of IIT?)

edge17 16y ago

cheap labor is markets at work. you just sound pissed.

bugsy 16y ago
Presumably you have no response to his key question regarding what major tech innovations have come out of India recently. Perhaps those $10 laptop computers they announced?

mih 16y ago

Notion ink's Adam tablet springs to mind, although admittedly the buzz has died down of late. It might not be as popular as its competitors, but is innovative nonetheless

ankeshk 16y ago

One of the few Indian innovations that has received international press is the cheapest car in the world: Tata Nano. Other innovations from India: Generating electricity from rice husk: http://www.huskpowersystems.com/ http://www.huskpowersystems.com/ Vertical axis windmill: http://tepp-innovators.blogspot.com/2008/01/wind-turbines-on-roof-top.html http://tepp-innovators.blogspot.com/2008/01/wind-turbines-on... Microsoft, IBM, Cisco all have huge R&D labs in India. And the number of patents coming from them is not insignificant. Of course, the number of innovations per capita coming out of India is a lot lower vs those coming out of USA or Israel or someone. But India is not a laggard in innovation.

kls 16y ago
While I agree with your summation, that India is contributing innovation, I would be wary about using this one as an example: One of the few Indian innovations that has received international press is the cheapest car in the world This is more a product of cheap labor, cheap facilities and cheap materials than any truly innovative accomplishments.
- ankeshk 16y ago
  Thanks. Although from what I remember, Tata Motors has 34 patents for the Nano car. Nano is designed in a way that it uses less steel than other cars - making it lighter and cheaper. Also, the wheel placement is done in a way that allows the car to be very small - yet the seating space be a lot more than other compact cars like Hyundai's Santro etc. And also - Tata Nano innovated on the assembly line model. The car is designed in a way that the car parts can be built separately and assembled in various locations. Thus, smaller plants are needed. (Sure, computers are built the same way too. But cars are not built that way by other companies. Tata replicated the computer manufacturing model and made cars available in "assembly kits.") I agree with you that the cheap labour helped in keeping costs down. But that was not the only thing. There is some really good innovation behind the car too.
quanticle 16y ago
Microsoft, IBM, Cisco all have huge R&D labs in India. And the number of patents coming from them is not insignificant. Of course, this presumes that patents == innovation, something that is clearly not the case, as demonstrated by the activities of patent trolls.

skbohra123 16y ago

Just the fact that everyone is so keen to know what India has innovated, makes me feel that something is happening. Talking about India is the latest way to grab the attention. After all why you want us to Innovate ? We will take our time. :)

edge17 16y ago

micro-finance. sure, lots of controversy in this space, but people are trying and investments are being made. there's a lot of systemic problems too like bureaucrats and lack of collaboration between universities and industry (when was the last time you read a published paper in school coming out of IIT?)