India’s March Toward Technological Independence

Why in the News?

1. India celebrated its 79th Independence Day on August 15, 2025, highlighting that true independence today must include technological sovereignty in addition to political freedom.
2. Growing dependence on foreign technology companies for critical infrastructure raises concerns over national security, autonomy, and economic resilience.
3. The article calls for India to develop its own technological foundations through open-source software and long-term hardware initiatives.

Key Highlights

1. Redefining Independence in the 21st Century
   1. Political freedom is not sufficient in today’s interconnected world.
   2. Technological sovereignty is necessary as technology drives essential systems like banking, transport, energy, and defence.
   3. Cybersecurity threats and dependency on foreign firms pose existential vulnerabilities.
2. Current Technological Dependence
   1. Most foundational software, operating systems, and cloud platforms are controlled by a handful of companies from one or two dominant countries.
   2. These companies can restrict or withdraw services due to political pressure or commercial interests, creating risks for India.
   3. A recent incident where cloud services were withdrawn from a company highlights the reality of this threat.
3. Path to Software Sovereignty
   1. India lacks indigenous foundational software such as operating systems and databases.
   2. Open-source platforms like Linux and Android can be adapted and secured for national use.
   3. Long-term support, updates, and a strong user base are critical for viability.
   4. India’s vast IT community has the capability to collaborate and build self-reliant systems.
4. Hardware Sovereignty and Challenges
   1. Achieving independence in hardware is more complex than software.
   2. Semiconductor fabrication requires heavy investment, long-term vision, and strong supply chain management.
   3. India should begin with design, chip assembly, and partnerships while outsourcing fabrication
   4. Gradual capacity-building will reduce dependence and create expertise.
5. The Way Forward – A Mission-Oriented Approach
   1. A structured mission must be launched, focusing on implementation rather than only research.
   2. Core components (databases, web servers, cloud servers, email systems, etc.) should be built, updated, and maintained by professional teams.
   3. A sustainable business model must support this initiative, with government playing an enabling (not monopolising) role.
   4. The broader vision must combine open-source collaboration with national strategic planning.

Initiatives taken by the Government of India towards technological sovereignty

1. Digital India (2015 onwards)
   1. Aim: Transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
   2. Focus: Infrastructure as a utility, governance & services on demand, digital empowerment of citizens.
   3. Components: BharatNet (broadband to gram panchayats), DigiLocker, e-Governance initiatives.
2. Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (2020 onwards)
   1. Emphasizes self-reliance in critical technologies.
   2. Support for domestic manufacturing of electronics, defense systems, and software.
   3. Strengthened R&D in frontier technologies (AI, ML, 5G, quantum computing).
3. Semiconductor Mission (2021)
   1. India Semiconductor Mission (ISM): ₹76,000 crore incentive package to build a semiconductor & display manufacturing ecosystem.
   2. Partnership with global companies for chip fabrication and design.
   3. Focus on long-term chip design capabilities and supply chain resilience.
4. National Policy on Electronics (2019)
   1. Aim: Position India as a global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM).
   2. Target: $400 billion electronics manufacturing by 2025.
   3. Schemes: Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for electronics, Component Manufacturing Schemes.
5. National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)
   1. Jointly by MeitY and DST.
   2. Build a network of supercomputers across India for R&D and academia.
   3. Target: 70+ high-performance computing facilities to reduce dependency on foreign supercomputing resources.
6. National AI Strategy (NITI Aayog, 2018)
   1. Document titled “AI for All”.
   2. Focus on AI in agriculture, healthcare, education, smart cities, and mobility.
   3. Creation of AI research centers, data platforms, and ethical AI frameworks.
7. Cybersecurity Initiatives
   1. National Cyber Security Policy (2013, revision underway).
   2. CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) for cyber threat response.
   3. National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to safeguard key sectors like power, banking, telecom.
8. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
   1. Aadhaar, UPI, CoWIN, ONDC, DigiLocker → models of sovereign digital infrastructure.
   2. Built as open-source, scalable systems used by multiple private and government entities.
   3. Reduces dependence on foreign proprietary platforms.
9. Make in India & Startup India
   1. Promotes domestic manufacturing of electronics, defense systems, and IT products.
   2. Startups in deep-tech, AI, and semiconductor design get special incentives.

• 5G & Telecom Sovereignty
  1. Development of indigenous 5G stack by C-DOT.
  2. BSNL to deploy indigenous 4G and 5G networks.
  3. Reduces dependency on global telecom vendors like Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia.

Implications

1. National Security
   1. Reduces vulnerability to external coercion or denial of service by foreign companies.
   2. Strengthens India’s cyber resilience against espionage and sabotage.
2. Economic Autonomy
   1. Creates an ecosystem of indigenous software and hardware development.
   2. Lowers dependency on costly foreign imports and licensing fees.
   3. Encourages domestic innovation and entrepreneurship.
3. Strategic Global Positioning
   1. Enhances India’s bargaining power in the global technology landscape.
   2. Establishes India as a hub for open-source leadership.
   3. Builds alliances with like-minded countries on tech sovereignty.
4. Social and Industrial Empowerment
   1. Promotes trust in digital systems used by citizens, industries, and institutions.
   2. Expands employment opportunities for India’s IT professionals in high-value projects.
   3. Builds national pride and confidence in self-reliant digital infrastructure.
5. Long-Term Sustainability
   1. Moves beyond government dependence by establishing self-sustaining models.
   2. Encourages user contribution (financial and technical) toward trusted systems.
   3. Ensures future-readiness in an era where AI, cloud, and quantum computing will define power structures.

Challenges and Way Forward

Conclusion

India’s political independence, achieved through unity and non-violence, must now evolve into technological independence. In an era where wars are fought in cyberspace and societies depend on digital foundations, sovereignty in software and hardware is as vital as sovereignty in governance. Open-source technology, collective willpower, and strategic investment can guide India’s march toward digital self-reliance. The time to act is now—before a crisis forces our hand.