India should develop its own sovereign digital solutions, reduce reliance on US systems: GTRI
In a report, the Thinking Worker claimed that the Indian economy and security were deeply dependent on US software, cloud and social media platforms and created a great fragility in geopolitical tension times.
GTRI said that the US systems are extremely dependent on the US systems, or that any country, a sudden service cutting or access to data, attempting the possibility of disrupting banking, governance and defense systems.
“India is dealing with a major external shock – the United States has applied 50 percent tariff to most Indian goods – but a much deeper strategic risk of digital dependence on US technology companies.”
According to GTRI, Indian phones, computers, defense and government applications work in US systems.
“A US -backed section can paralyzed digital payments, tax files and government services instantly in the country,” he argued. To address this, the GTRI requires the launch of what is called the “digital swarage mission” until 2030. Digital solutions, GTRI “India’s risk of remaining behind technology sovereignty,” he said.
Stating that India’s data is the largest bargaining chip, GTRI suggested that India should not give in trade negotiations. India’s large user base feeds us and advertising revenues.
Referring to anonymous policy analysts, GTRI said that they should consider India’s data as a strategic resource that resembles oil or rare land minerals.
“Local data storage, digital transactions by taxing and improving its own AI ecosystem, India can turn this wide data pool into bargaining power in trade, technology and security negotiations.”
In addition, GTRI also stated that the risks are not limited to infrastructure.
“Social media platforms and algorithms that are largely controlled by US companies may affect public discourse. Experts remain vulnerable to disinformation campaigns of India’s democracy without internal observation of these platforms.”
To continue, according to GTRI, India should draw a step -by -step road map to be released in stages.
In the short term (1-2 years), India must require a dominant cloud for critical data, initiate the national operating system program and make pilot Linux transitions in key ministries.
In the medium term (3-5 years), government systems should completely migrate to Indian software and public-private cyber security consortiums should be operational.
In the long term (5-7 years), India should reach cloud parity, change foreign operating systems in defense and critical sectors and create competitive open network platforms globally.
“India has the ability to develop dominant talent. We can do the same for basic digital infrastructure, as the UPI and ONDC changed the payment and trade world.” “In the age of tariffs, sanctions and technology wars, sovereignty will be measured not only by the region or GDP, but with the” who controls the code “. The message is open: India should now create a safe digital spine – or the risk of being closed in the future.”
In the last few months, India and the US are negotiating for a temporary trade agreement. However, there are reservations from India to the US demand to open the agricultural and milk sectors of the United States.
India and the United States launched negotiations for a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement (BTA), which aims to complete the first stage of the agreement by October-November 2025 in March this year.
US President Donald Trump brought mutual tariffs to dozens of countries where the US is a trade deficit. 50 percent for India. Since his second term, President Trump reiterated his attitude towards reciprocity and stressed that his administration would match the tariffs he brought for “fair trade”, including India.
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