In a rare and candid address, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has voiced serious concerns over India’s growing brain drain, pointing to a troubling trend: the country’s most talented minds are increasingly choosing opportunities abroad over contributing to national institutions, particularly in critical areas like defense and space research.
Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2025, Singh didn’t mince words. “We are not able to get the best people for the job,” he said. “People are going outward. They’re going and working from other countries. I think we need to retain them here by giving them good payment, good incentive, good work environment, maybe some recognition” .
His remarks come at a time when some of India’s most ambitious defense projects, such as the indigenous Tejas fighter jet and the next-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), are facing persistent delays. According to the Air Chief Marshal, the reasons are complex but interconnected: overdependence on foreign technologies, rigid bureaucratic processes, and above all, a shortage of high-caliber talent willing to stay and innovate within Indian institutions.
“Deadlines don’t deliver results—people do,” Singh noted. “We need the kind of minds that push boundaries, but those minds are going elsewhere.”
Echoes from ISRO: A Familiar Concern
The concern isn’t limited to defense. Just last year, former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath expressed similar frustration. In a public interview, he revealed that nearly 60% of selected candidates drop out of ISRO’s hiring process after seeing the salary offered. “We’re competing with the private sector and foreign institutions that offer four to five times more,” he said .
Many of those dropping out are graduates from India’s elite engineering schools like the IITs. “They’re brilliant, patriotic, and passionate—but when they look at what we offer compared to, say, a tech job in the U.S. or a startup in Europe, it becomes a very tough decision,” Somanath explained.
The Broader Problem
This isn’t just a government problem. Even India’s top private companies are struggling to hold on to skilled professionals. Despite the startup boom and global investments pouring into Indian tech, many firms report high attrition rates and difficulty competing with international salaries and work cultures.
Globally, countries like the United States, Canada, and Germany have moved swiftly to attract Indian talent. U.S. policymakers have even proposed immigration reforms to make it easier for Indian STEM graduates to obtain work visas and permanent residency—a move that further drains India’s talent pool.
It’s Not Just About Money
Both Singh and Somanath agree: the issue isn’t only financial. While competitive pay is important, they argue that work culture, growth opportunities, and institutional respect matter just as much—if not more.
“We need better labs, less red tape, and environments where innovation is celebrated—not buried under paperwork,” Singh said.
Somanath echoed that sentiment. “We can’t build the next ISRO or DRDO on patriotism alone. We have to offer purpose and promise.”
The Road Ahead
The question now is whether India will take the bold steps needed to stem this talent outflow. With a booming youth population, world-class academic institutions, and growing global influence, the country has all the ingredients to become a talent magnet rather than a supplier.
But unless policies shift—and institutions evolve—India risks becoming the training ground for the world’s next generation of innovators, with little to show for it at home.
As Singh warned, “Talent is the new oil. And we’re leaking it fast.”
