Central Idea

Soviet Union’s role: The Soviet Union contributed to India’s industrialization through capital equipment and technology.
United States’ contribution: The United States, along with the Rockefeller and Ford Foundation, supported India’s agricultural development.

Soviet Union’s Role in Industrialization

Collaborations with the Soviet Bloc: Collaborations with the Soviet Bloc led to the establishment of key industrial plants and institutions in India.
Examples: Bhilai and Bokaro steel plants (established in the 1950s), Barauni and Koyali refineries, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Heavy Engineering Corporation, Mining & Allied Machinery Corporation, Neyveli Thermal Power Station, Indian Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, and oil prospecting and drilling at Ankleshwar.

agriculture

Lesser-known involvement: The United States, along with the Rockefeller and Ford Foundation, played a crucial role in India’s agricultural development during the 1950s and 1960s.
Assistance provided: The US supported areas such as agricultural education, research, extension services, and technology transfer.

Visit to US land-grant universities: In 1950, Major H.S. Sandhu and Chief Secretary A.N. Jha visited US land-grant universities for inspiration.
Proposal for integrated agricultural universities: The visit inspired the recommendation to establish integrated agricultural universities in India.
Establishment of UP Agricultural University: The UP Agricultural University was established in the Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh and inaugurated by PM Jawaharlal Nehru on November 17, 1960.

Publication of blueprint by ICAR: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) published a blueprint titled “Blueprint for a Rural University in India” in the late 1950s.
Financial assistance: The United States, through the USAID, provided support for the establishment of agricultural universities in India, starting from the late 1950s.
Collaboration with US land-grant institutions: Agricultural universities in India established in the late 1950s and early 1960s were linked with US land-grant institutions for expertise and curriculum design.

Characteristics of traditional varieties: Traditional wheat and rice varieties were tall and prone to lodging when the ear-heads were heavy with well-filled grains.
Introduction of semi-dwarf varieties: Semi-dwarf varieties with strong stems that tolerated high fertilizer application were developed in the 1960s.
Development and distribution of Norin-10 genes: The Norin-10 dwarfing genes played a significant role in the development of high-yielding wheat varieties in the 1960s.

Correspondence with Vogel and Borlaug: M.S. Swaminathan contacted Orville Vogel and Norman Borlaug in the late 1950s.
Arrival of Mexican wheat varieties: Mexican wheat varieties, sent by Borlaug, were first sown in trial fields in the early 1960s and later adopted on a large scale in India.
Transition to self-sufficiency: India transitioned from being a wheat importer to achieving self-sufficiency in wheat production in the mid-1960s.

Cold War geopolitics and competition: Assistance in agricultural development was motivated by the Cold War geopolitics and the competition between superpowers.
Benefits of India’s non-aligned status: India’s non-aligned status allowed for assistance from both superpowers, benefiting agricultural development.

Increased grain yields and productivity: The Green Revolution significantly increased grain yields, ensuring a stable food supply starting from the mid-1960s.
Food security and self-sufficiency: Adoption of high-yielding varieties improved food security and reduced dependence on imports in the 1960s and 1970s.
Economic growth and poverty reduction: The Green Revolution contributed to economic growth and poverty reduction in rural areas in the 1960s and 1970s.