While the spectacular advances in science and technology and space technology in particular, can provide appropriate solutions to meet the basic requirements of all the nations, the success of meeting the global challenges of the next century clearly depends on the ability of both North and South in making wise choices concerning the future path of progress. Despite of the fact that space exploration, for the first time, has given us a new perspective of our own beautiful planet, true appreciation of this global view is yet to percolate into the conflicting minds concerned solely with immediate national interests and artificial geographical boundaries. The concept of oneness of humankind has been an integral part of the Indian heritage which was enunciated in our great epic Mahabharata

The last few decades of inadequate efforts to bridge the inequities between the developed and the developing societies have been primarily through aids and soft loans, largely due to moral dictates of guilt complex. It is essential that we clearly realise that the prevalent extensive deforestation, illiteracy, lack of basic resources such as food and water, non availability of technological know-how will drive the developing world through the same suicidal pathway followed earlier by the developed world, in their anxiety to achieve rapid development. While the developed countries which have contributed maximally to the deterioration of the global environment in the past will discover alternate environment friendly technological solutions, rapid deterioration of the ecological state cannot be stopped unless such technologies are made available to the 75 per cent of the world’s population. In other words, the betterment of human society as a whole has to be viewed as an implicit requirement for the very survival of this planet.

The emerging independent nations of the South, on the other hand, have to create a new social order which starts recognising that not only the quantitative transformation but the very survival of their society depends on the optimal utilisation of science and technology. The socio political system in most of the developing countries, which is self serving, near sighted and devoid of scientific temper, still regards science and technology only as an embroidery and not the main social fabric of their culture. There is an urgent need for the developing countries to replace the widespread political opportunism with a healthy scientific attitude and seriously tackle the problem of rapid rural development, eradication of illiteracy, establishment of basic communication infrastructure and industrialisation not through vote catching, populist schemes but by purposeful action oriented approach. Accomplishment of these tasks needs the total involvement of highly skilled and fully committed scientists, massive education at the grass root levels and widespread dissemination of scientific culture, in other words, the ‘greening’ of the human mind.

Despite of the creation of a conducive atmosphere for promotion of international cooperation with the end of the cold war, agreements reached during the Rio summit, general acceptance of Montreal Protocol for the preservation of the environment and signing of the GATT agreement, the technological gap between the developed and the developing nations is continuing to grow. While GATT has introduced a few concessions to the developing nations for a limited period of time to enable them to compete in the global market place on equal footing, the possibility of invoking highly subjective criteria to apply trade sanctions and restrictions on newly industrialised countries continues to pose a threat to the third world nations. Even the so called free market trade in reality has been adroitly used for commercial exploitation. Exploitation of global market by fixing prices based on opportunity cost and not on production economics, till the competition builds up has been followed throughout history while at the same time propagating ethical approaches to market demand. Instead of providing preferential access to developing countries for selling their products and services in the global market, attempts are made to restrict the competition in the name of fair geographical returns policy, application of quota system and equally dubious arguments based on level playing field and human rights (Rao 1995a).

Security concerns as perceived by developed nations have greatly influenced the level and nature of international cooperation. One of the major regimes impinging on the transfer of components, equipment, information and technologies particularly related to space programmes is the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Although at the beginning, MTCR had the laudable objective of restricting the proliferation of only missile related technologies and not peaceful space programmes, slowly over the years, high technology components and equipment required even for peaceful programmes have been denied as a part of the implementation strategy. The release of the same components for sale immediately after such components are either indigenously developed or become available from alternate sources has left a strong impression that such technology regimes have been turned into a strong weapon in the armour of the developed countries for commercial and political gains. Philosophical statements, such as ‘if we are to lead the world towards a hopeful future, we must understand that technology is part of the planetary environment, to be shared like air and water with the rest of the mankind’, are pronounced in every conceivable international forum. The reality, however, is that science and technology has become the most powerful currency of power, monopolized and zealously guarded by a minority of few advanced nations, who have employed technological hegemonism — as a means of influencing and controlling the developing world.

The key to the development of a proper strategy for survival clearly depends on achieving integrated sustainable development through both national and international cooperation. It calls for the initiation of a new sustainable green revolution, taking into account the lessons learnt from past experience, to meet the basic needs of the present and future generations through adoption of environment friendly scientific and technological approach aimed at achieving rapid progress without sacrificing the ‘owl’. As beautifully summarised at the 1992 Rio Summit (UN 1992):

Humanity stands at a defining moment in history. We are confronted with a perpetuation of disparities between and within nations, a worsening of poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy, and the continuing deterioration of the eco-systems on which we depend for our well being. However, integration of environment and development concerns and greater attention to them will lead to the fulfillment of basic needs, improved living standard for all, better protected and managed eco-systems and a safe, more prosperous future. No nation can achieve this on its own; but together we can in a global partnership for sustainable development.