The 2020 Galwan clash with China was a turning point for India, pushing the nation to accelerate its drive toward indigenous technologies, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said while addressing graduates at IIT Madras on Friday.
Speaking at the 62nd convocation of the institute, Doval highlighted how the urgency of national security challenges, exposed during the border crisis with China, forced India to rethink its dependence on foreign technology in critical areas like secure communications.
“The Chinese have taken 12 years and $300 billion to develop 5G. We don’t have such time and money. We wanted trusted sources. Within two and a half years, we were indigenous. We owe it to our private sector,” Doval said, emphasising India’s resolve to completely indigenise its communication systems for data protection and security needs.
Highlighting the role of Artificial Intelligence, Doval called it a “game-changer” and stressed that India must rapidly adopt emerging technologies without depending on foreign sources.
The push for indigenous technologies is not limited to communications alone. Doval underscored their role during Operation Sindoor, where India precisely targeted nine terrorist sites deep inside Pakistan in a swift 23-minute operation.
“We are proud of the role played by indigenous technologies in Operation Sindoor, right from BrahMos, radars, integrated air control and command systems, and other surveillance tech,” he noted.
Responding to scepticism around the operation, Doval challenged detractors to show evidence of Indian damage. “They claimed all sorts of things… But show me one image of any Indian damage—even a broken glass pane? They had nothing,” he said.
Doval encouraged the graduating students to embrace a spirit of “passion for your nation” and leverage their skills to further India’s journey toward technological self-reliance. Framing the 2020 clash with China as a critical clash, he noted that challenges often become opportunities to build a secure, sovereign future.
“You are part of a nation and civilisation that has faced invasions, suffering, and indignities for a thousand years. It was through the sacrifices, struggles, and resilience of our ancestors that the idea of this nation and its civilisation was kept alive,” he said.
Doval also laid out a bold vision for India’s economic and geopolitical future. “By 2047, I am confident that India will be a $30 trillion economy and among the top three global powers,” he said.
