Thanks to the United States of America and the current economic dealings with the West, I think we have all had a sudden awakening to the criticality of sovereignty in trade, technology, and intellectual property, especially driven by tariffs. While this is not a brand-new concern, the Indian government has been communicating its importance for years. The difference now is urgency. Although we have some head start and momentum, we are still far from prepared for what lies ahead. Perhaps now is the time for us to work together as a nation to build something that will outlast all of us.

A few weeks ago, I read an interesting article that beautifully captured the recurring theme of self-reliance in global history,

Globalisation—greater trading links, the transmission of know-how and technology, more cross-border investment, the migration of people—has delivered spectacular material benefits and higher living standards for centuries, especially since World War II. While some communities have suffered disruption, a mass inward turn by nations would not reverse the damage and would harm billions of livelihoods. Trade and interconnection are part of who we are.

Yet, the impulse to self-sufficiency—economic unsociability—runs deep. Autarky’s adaptability allows it to appeal across political, social, and ideological lines. It can serve both peace and war, backwards nostalgia and forward-looking progress. From individuals to nations, the drive for self-reliance keeps returning, as inevitable as the tides. Its persistence stems from its flexibility and from the moral connection it draws between personal virtue and collective survival.

The belief in the virtue of self-reliance is not a modern invention. It’s as old as civilisation.

History teaches that true independence comes not from short-term action, but from sustained, collective investment over decades. Self-reliance does not mean closing the doors to trade. In fact, competition, commerce, and exchange have consistently improved the quality of local businesses. But it does mean refusing to open markets to unfair or coercive practices.

As it is now generally accepted that overdependence on any one country is risky, every nation will seek to secure its own future. For India, this means thinking in decades, not years. We must identify the sectors that will be critical in 10 years and make multiple long-term bets, knowing that most will fail, but the few that succeed could transform the nation. The homework is figuring out what the next big things are and going all in on them.

But in the meantime, we must industrialise rapidly. We must build capabilities that retain talent, encourage innovation, and accept that failures are part of progress. Playing it safe has failed us before, and it will fail us again.

Lessons from the World

From Noah Smith’s recent article](https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/what-can-india-do-to-industrialize),

East Asian economies embraced international trade, specialising in export markets to scale industries and drive rapid industrialisation. By contrast, India’s early decades focused on restricting trade, prioritising import substitution over export-led growth. While liberalisation in 1991 reversed this, tariff reductions continued only into the early 2000s. Our strongest growth years coincided with high global trade. Since the mid-2010s, tariff increases and reluctance to join free trade agreements have marked a cautious retreat.

The examples are telling,

China has treated energy self-reliance as a central pillar for over 25 years, first improving efficiency, then shifting to green energy, and now emphasising indigenous production. Today, renewables supply nearly 38% of China’s electricity, up from less than 20% in 2000. Many bets worked, some, like real estate, failed spectacularly.

The US seeded its tech dominance in the 1950s—1970s through massive public investment in defence and space, creating foundational technologies like semiconductors and the Internet.

Japan and South Korea rebuilt post-war economies through education, infrastructure, and tech, achieving global leadership in manufacturing and electronics.

India, post-independence, invested in public sector units and scientific autonomy through import substitution, building some self-reliance, but at the cost of global competitiveness.

What India must do

If we treat this period as a historic opportunity to reimagine our future, our priorities could be,

• Deep Investment in R&D and Education. Build intellectual capital for the long term.

• Robust Public-Private Partnerships. Align incentives between the state and industry.

• Generational Patience. Accept that returns will take decades, not years.

• Whole-of-Nation Buy-In. Leadership matters, but so does collective alignment.

History shows that when constrained, people and nations innovate. This moment is our chance to evolve, on our own terms. The new generation of Indians will face this challenge head-on. The era of meekness is over. Patience and politeness must not be mistaken for weakness.