By Dr. Rajesh Hajela
It is apropos to question why India’s sharp problem-solving ability keeps getting boxed into the word “Jugaad“.
The term is often used as if we Indians rely much on shortcuts and irrational methods. In reality, what we see across the India is “Ingenuity” of a very high standard. It is cost-aware, efficient and thoughtfully engineered. When the West does something similar, it is praised as innovation. When Japan refined its own resource-efficient methods, the world celebrated them as Japanese technology. India deserves the same respect, “Our approach is distinct as we shun hype, provide straightforward solutions, and release most of our work into the public domain—unescorted by patents—for the greater benefit of humankind.” Don’t forgot that we invented zero and opened up the pandora of infinite possibilities for the world.
“It is not a matter of choice for us ; the limitation of resources compels us to develop a capability where we generate a functional output from minimal or no inputs. This is achieved through an engineered methodology that systematically eliminates or substitutes non‑essential requirements, thereby reaching the predefined objective. A blend of ingenuity and technology, where we identify and discard superfluous constraints to meet a clearly defined goal. That should now be called as “Indian Technology.”
ISRO is the most visible proof. The Mars Orbiter Mission cost less than the budget of a commercial film, yet it achieved what only a handful of nations have ever done. Chandrayaan’s landings, the reusable launch vehicle programme and ISRO’s record of reliable launches show disciplined engineering, not improvisation. These outcomes come from process rigour and clarity, not a patched-up approach.
Indian industry mirrors this strength. Telecom operators deliver some of the world’s lowest data costs while managing networks of extraordinary scale. Mahindra designs vehicles that deliver durability without the heavy overheads common in Western engineering.
The strongest example, apropos of global leadership, is the Indian pharma industry. India supplies a major share of the world’s generic medicines and vaccines. It runs highly regulated plants that meet all international USFDA and EMA standards. It built a reputation for quality, affordability and reliability that many countries depend on.
pability delivered with cost discipline that few can match. Indian pharma shows how dee p technical competence can coexist with price efficiency.
So it’s time to retire the dismissive branding. Indians aren’t “doing jugaad.” Indians are exercising ingenuity. It is a skill shaped by constraint, sharpened by creativity and proven on the world stage. And the world, slowly but surely, is recognising what India has always done exceptionally well.
It is apropos to question why India’s sharp problem-solving ability keeps getting boxed into the word jugaad. The term is often used as if we rely on shortcuts. In reality, what we see across the country is ingenuity of a very high standard. It is cost-aware, efficient and thoughtfully engineered. When the West does something similar, it is praised as innovation. When Japan refined its own resource-efficient methods, the world celebrated them as Japanese technology. India deserves the same respect.
Indian industry mirrors this strength. Telecom operators deliver some of the world’s lowest data costs while managing networks of extraordinary scale. Mahindra designs vehicles that deliver durability without the heavy overheads common in Western engineering. Even the Tata Nano project, despite its market challenges, demonstrated the ability to rethink an entire cost architecture from first principles.
So it’s time to retire the dismissive branding. Indians aren’t “doing jugaad.” Indians are exercising ingenuity. It is a skill shaped by constraint, sharpened by creativity and proven on the world stage. And the world, slowly but surely, is recognising what India has always done exceptionally well.
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