Science and Technology is the panacea for the growth and security of a nation.

Progress in science and technology among nations separates the best from the rest, science and technology coupled with innovation is key to the long term growth and dynamism of a nation. Science and Technology promote scientific temper, rational thinking, which foster a spirit of enquiry, a vital component of a modern, open, democratic nation, therefore the dawn of the science and technology era is considered a watershed moment in the evolution of mankind. India historically has contributed significantly through its scientific expertise, been a repository of technical knowledge, credited for being pioneers of mathematics and has produced a huge body of knowledge on human anatomy and medical science.

However, no nation can afford the luxury of resting on its past laurels, considering the pace of technological expansion, its importance in solving socio-economic riddles, the dependence of youth on science and technology for the pursuance of their careers and its role in establishing the nation as a global power in the comity of nations. The Academia has reaped the fruits of science and technology, it has enabled the researchers to split an atom, astronauts to explore outer space. Academia and the field of science and technology are mutually reinforcing, one cannot survive without the other, hence it is imperative that the nations understand this symbiotic relationship and focus on increasing the Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) so that science and technology will contribute to the growth and security of a nation, taking India as an example, India's GERD is less than 1% of its GDP and it is lesser than all its BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) counterparts.

Science and technology have immense potential in augmenting human capacity. Health is often referred to as the physical, mental and spiritual well-being without which the foundations of happiness is shaken, health has been a beneficiary of the evolution of science and technology, Science and technology have been a panacea to some of the deadly diseases, science and technology has made room for early and accurate diagnosis and also provided for medicines with enhanced curing and therapeutic capabilities. Disability in humans is broadly defined as a participatory restriction, activity limitation and impairment, with the help of science and technology, disability can be partly offset, the athletes in the Paralympics bear testimony to this, Oscar Pistorius called the ‘Blade runner”, India’s own Boniface Prabhu are shining examples.

The evolution of human beings is coterminous with the evolution of science and technology and this is reflected in the levels of standard of living, therefore it doesn't require "rocket science" to realize that countries with a higher degree of sophistication in science and technology have attained a higher standard of living. The standard of living is broadly constituted by per-capita income, life expectancy and education, and these factors can be improved with advancement in science and technology. The growth of a nation is dependent largely on how effectively it is able to utilize its natural resources. Science and technology can act as a catalyst in propelling a nation into higher orbits of growth. The manufacturing sector has a certain degree of stability and maturity in countries where the field of science and technology has made rapid advances.

Energy security is now touted as the pathway to achieve higher levels of growth, with the global discourse on energy shifting towards a low carbon, environmentally benign forms of energy, the renewable, non-conventional forms of energies like solar energy, geothermal energy, tidal energy, wind energy is way forward. However, tapping, distribution and utilization of these forms of energy require a great deal of technical progress, hence countries need to be equipped with the wherewithal to attain energy security. Food security has long been considered fundamental to the existence of a nation. The land scarcity, poor efficiency and ever-rising demand has meant that the nations will have to look elsewhere for solutions. The Genetically modified crops, with their higher productivity, resilience to pest and tolerance to unfriendly weather conditions has offered a ray of hope. The scientific innovations in the form of hydroponics, tissue culture has provided techniques that are very relevant in the context of shrinking land availability. Water is fundamental to leading a humane life, the water security is important for the sustenance of human civilization, global warming, climate change has hampered the natural hydrological cycle, advances in science and technology offers a solution in the form of desalinization, filtering, recycling to make the most of available water resources.

The modern-day era is characterized by independent autonomous sovereign nations which value and pursue territorial integrity and national sovereignty, this is being challenged by other nations and even by certain non-state actors, thus with the science and technological progress, the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, stealth missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, submarines etc, provide security to nations. The growing threats of cyber warfares, cyber-attacks, compels nations to strengthen their national security architecture to counter and nullify threats, thus science and technology can be bulwarks to national security. However, it is wrong to believe in entirety that science and technology can be a silver bullet solution to every ill that plagues the world, the environmental degradation, biodiversity loss has often been a product of unrestricted, unrestrained use of science and technology, owing to this there is a new jurisprudence of rights that is taking shape in the form of “Fifth-generation rights" which seeks to confer legal rights and protection to natural resources and assets and put them at par with individuals endowed with rights.

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence has threatened to cut down salaried jobs, as per the Gartner Report of 2018, there is going to be an estimated 1.8 million job-cuts by 2020, the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” which is premised upon automation and data exchange will reduce the human element in production to near redundancy, this takes us back to Mahatma Gandhi's words that machines must never replace humans, he was against the mad craze for machines.

The use of science and technology whether it’s a panacea or a poison, the idea of designer babies, the prospect of nuclear warfare that threatens to wipe out the human civilization, echoes the word of Martin Luther King " We have guided missiles but misguided men". It has to be realized that science and technology by itself is not a panacea or a spell of doom, it is based on the discretion of the user to utilize the potential and promise of science and technology to act as a catalyst of growth and provider of security to the nation. Value education offers a solution, as it equips a human with virtues of peach, harmony, compassion, empathy, thus the user endowed with such values will ultimately use the technology to further social wellbeing and bring about economic prosperity thus laying the foundation for growth and security of the nation.