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Introduction

India celebrated its 79th Independence Day in 2025, yet true freedom today extends beyond political sovereignty to technological autonomy. In an era where wars are fought through cyberspace, software, and drones, India’s dependence on foreign-controlled operating systems, cloud services, and semiconductors poses serious risks to its national security and innovation capacity.

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Instances of Technological Dependence on Foreign Nations in India

• Control of Critical Infrastructure: India’s banks, railways, and power grids depend on imported information and communication technology systems.
  Eg: Cloud or AI services controlled by a few global companies could be switched off under a foreign government’s diktat, paralysing essential services.
• Dependence of Operating Systems: India lacks its own operating system or database, relying on foreign-developed foundational software.
  Eg: Windows, Android, and proprietary databases dominate, leaving India dependent on external vendors.
• Cloud and Data Centralisation Risks: Even though much of today’s software is open source, the control of cloud and data remains with powerful foreign firms.
  Eg: Centralised data management by foreign cloud giants like Google  increases vulnerability to cyber coercion.
• Vulnerability of National Securitys: Modern wars are fought with software and drones rather than conventional weapons. India’s dependence on external systems exposes it to cyber threats.
• Hardware Dependence in Semiconductors: India lacks semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) and remains reliant on global supply chains for chips.

Measures to Achieve Technological Independence ensuring National Security

• Building Software Sovereignty through Open Source: Develop Indian versions of Linux and Android with support and maintenance teams to ensure trust and autonomy.
  Eg: A national mission assembling IT professionals to maintain secure, backdoor-free software can reduce foreign reliance.
• Hardware Sovereignty: Invest in semiconductor design and essential components to protect defense, communication, and industrial systems from foreign control or disruption.
• Open-Source Collaboration: Promote transparent open-source software and hardware with continuous updates to minimize risks from foreign backdoors and espionage.
• Establishing a National Implementation Mission: Create a dedicated mission focused on development and implementation, not just academic research, with engineers and project managers.
• Encouraging a Social Movement for Technological Autonomy: Mobilise India’s technology community to build a collective effort for trusted software and hardware, much like the freedom struggle.

Conclusion

India’s march toward technological independence must reflect the collective resolve that once secured political freedom. The challenge lies not in capability but in national will. With a mission-driven approach begun proactively, India can harness its talent to ensure self-reliant, secure, and globally competitive technological leadership.

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