There has been a significant rise in nanotechnology publications and patents in India since the launch of a national initiative eight years ago, it has been reported. While industry produced few publications and patents during 1990-2007, universities and government-funded institutes have taken the lead in the sector, an analysis has revealed.
The results are part of a wider study by India's National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS). They were recently released at a workshop on capabilities and governance issues relating to emerging technologies in developing countries. The findings are seen to strengthen concerns that the domestic industry is not entering nanotechnology quickly enough.
Data presented by NISTADS scientist Vinod Kumar Gupta revealed that Indian publications in nanotechnology rose from none in 1990 to about 2,200 in 2007, totaling nearly 21,000 at the end of 2007. The number of patents was negligible until 2001, after which it climbed steadily to 35 in 2007. According to Gupta, while 48 percent of the publications came from universities, government research and development institutes contributed 28 percent. At 39 percent, government institutes also dominated patent ownership, with patents tending to be in the fields of pharmaceuticals and chemical sciences and technologies.
Workshop participants called for India to address regulatory and ethical issues. Nanotechnology is increasingly used in medicine, textiles, agriculture and environmental clean-ups despite there being no international or national guidelines on their use, it was observed at the meeting.
