The dependency of India on U.S. software and cloud providers and social networking sites is a significant economic and security risk during geopolitical crises, according to the think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).
“India’s economy and security are deeply reliant on US software, cloud, and social media platforms, creating a major vulnerability in times of geopolitical tension,” as per GTRI. Furthermore, it also notes that Washington can disconnect services or access to data to disrupt banking, governance, and defense systems and dominate public discourse through foreign media.
GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said, “Digital Swaraj Mission”, with sovereign cloud, indigenous OS (operating system), homegrown cybersecurity, and data-driven AI leadership at its core.” He also mentioned that the building of sovereign cloud and the enforcement of the Digital Markets Act are already underway in Europe.
However, China as well has substituted foreign code within government, defence, and industry systems with its native platforms.
Expanding on the problem, GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava stated that the core of the Indian digital base might be brought overnight. Meanwhile, the US tech giants decide to switch to Windows, Android, or cloud services.
Ajay Srivastava has warned that Indian smartphones on Google Android make over 500 million smartphones and leave the communications of the country to the will of the U.S. During the mission, he proposed that the plan could be implemented in stages.
India should mandate sovereign cloud hosting of critical data, introduce a national OS programme, and pilot Linux migrations in key ministries in the short term (1-2 years), and Indian government systems should move fully to Indian software, and public-private cybersecurity consortia should be functioning in the medium term (3-5 years), he added.
Ajay Srivastava states that “By the long-term (5-7 years), India must achieve cloud parity, replace foreign OS in defence and critical sectors, and create globally competitive open-network platforms.”
