Read Modern India The Way I Know It :: Modern India The Way IKI - Science and Corruption

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) are among India’s biggest strengths. The scientists that work there are brilliant, intelligent, and have contributed greatly to India’s development and progress. Indians should be proud of ISRO’s achievements. ISRO has developed launch vehicles, e.g. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). First the PSLV was developed and then the GSLV was developed. These vehicles have increased India’s status of ‘space-faring nations’ and also satellites for Indian use and foreign countries satellites were put in orbit through these vehicles. It is also commercially profitable. ISRO is also among the largest space agencies in the world and despite tough domestic problems and lack of access to foreign technology, it has indigenously developed cryogenic engines which also has military uses. Unlike Pakistan which has acquired nuclear weapons technology and launch vehicles from China, India has developed these technologies with grit, determination and independently.

America has various leading scientific organizations, Russia has the Russian Academy of Sciences, China has the Chinese Academy of Sciences, while India does not have enough leading scientific organizations in terms of the population. Given the talent India has, I think India should have more organizations that contribute to India’s scientific development. Scientific achievements are very important to a nation’s overall progress. And in India, these organizations contribute to the concept of self-reliance. However, Indian politics along with society do not have the will to make it happen.

Why?

What is required to become a superpower?

If a nation's population is 1.38 billion and if the government servant doesn’t make sure their colleagues aren't corrupt then their work immediately gets nullified. example: The trusted government Income Tax servant works to collect tax. The untrusted government Income Tax servant accepts bribes which nullifies the tax collected by the trusted government servant.

AV: If Indian freedom movement leaders cared about their appearances or what the British thought of them, however, they didn't. Why? Because they knew their cause was just and it wouldn't matter in 80 years.

The psychology is simple:

Don't want to look bad due to the corrupt government servant. Reality: The trusted government servant looks bad when they don't take action against the corrupt.

Social reasoning: Feelings/Appearances are swept under the rug.