Goal 9 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. However, the document raises several concerns about Goal 9's emphasis on industrialization for developing nations like India. It notes that millions of Indians rely on agriculture for employment and questions where they would be rehabilitated. There is also a concern that developed nations could exploit provisions for technology transfer to push their own industries and technologies without consideration for developing nations. The document concludes that Goal 9 has little to offer developing nations except increased access to information and communications technology, and developing nations should be skeptical and analyze Goal 9's goals critically before accepting them.

1. SDJ, post 2015 contains excellent rhetoric for sustainable development. Goal 9 of the
aforesaid draft talks about building resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
model of industrialization and foster innovation. This is nonetheless good as industry and
especially heavy industry provide employment and propels rapid economic growth but also
we should bear in mind the process and repercussion. Let’s take a close look to the sections
of Goal 9:
It seems that Goal 9 is giving a massive thrust on industrialization with an aspiration of
increasing share of industry in providing employment and GDP. Also it talks about building
infrastructure, enhance scientific research, and upgrade the technological capabilities of
industrial sectors in all countries.
Firstly its orientation towards industry makes the first stumbling block in a country like India
where there are 118.9 million cultivators across the country or 24.6% of the total workforce
of over 481 million, according to 2011 census data. Devendra Sharma, agricultural researcher
and policy commentator told that “unlike the US, in India when the family owns a piece of
land everyone works on the farm. So if we make a rough calculation of say 90 million
households engaged in agriculture and multiply it with 5 (the average Indian family size) the
number you get pretty much is equivalent to 53%” (Salve, 2014). Dalit and tribals form a
major portion of this socio-economic composition. The question remains where will they be
rehabilitated?
The precarious emphasis on industrializing the developing nations opens up an opportunity
for the developed nations to hiving off hazardous industries to developing nations in lieu of
manufacturing unit to protect its ecology. Also there is market consideration which
nonetheless should not be forgotten.
The emphasis on the integration of small scale industries with international market will augur
havoc for small-scale industries. The more these industries will be integrated with global
market their risk of being affected by global market tension and in times of recession they
won’t be able to survive because of their small profit scale and eventually will be devoured
by deep pocket industrial houses. Insulating them from global market is more viable than
their integration.
Any articles do not explicitly specify the kind of ‘support’ that is planned for developing
nations. Past experience is anything to look up to as of now, then the picture is not all
together very rosy. Western nations will try to sell their technology or twist the R&D project
at their whim exploiting the provision ‘conducive policy environment’. This ‘conducive
policy environment’ is vulnerable to exploitation. Industrial diversification is also another
area of worry. What and which kind of industries’ diversification will be carried out? In the
Indian context mostly low caste people work as the labourer in manufacturing units. And
Goal 9 does not talk about any save guards.
The only silver lining of Goal 9 is when it talks about retrofitting existing industries with
technologies that are environment friendly. Section 9c reads: Significantly increase access to
information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable

2. access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020. Now this is the most offering
sections of Goal 9 as it emphasises on access to information technology and affordable
access. From Indian perspective and to be specific from dalit and tribal perspective increased
access to I&T can also bring increased awareness about government schemes also proper use
I&T, internet can help them in countering subjugation with strategic use of I&T.
Overall it has nothing much to offer except increase access to I&T, barring that the
developing nations should be sceptical before accepting and ratifying its goals without critical
analysis.