India needs to be self-reliant in critical technology space

Technology is a gamechanger in multiple sectors. Due to its transformative effects, technology has become a way of life now. Like electricity, internet now becomes a daily habit of citizens across the globe. People from all age groups are glued to their digital devices. No wonder, most services across the globe have now come online. Such digital transformation augurs well for developing economies like India.

From a great enabler, technology has turned into a mainstay in many sectors of India. For instance, India has seen rapid growth in edtech sector with accessibility greatly improving for students and learners across the length and breadth of the country. As education is the biggest equaliser in any society, free access is a critical factor for its growth.

It is well known fact that education sector has commercialised a lot with students spending millions for getting higher education. This disparity has substantially narrowed with digital platforms enabling free access to a vast source of knowledge. Now, students can access an AI course taught in MIT (USA) for free as several global universities upload their class room teaching sessions online for free.

Edtech sectors have also seen several industry leaders giving practical tips to students and learners on how to navigate the practical complexities of the real world. Not only education, technology has transformed health, consumer, manufacturing, finance and many others in a substantial way.

Additionally, India has a technology power house with $290 billion-strong IT industry. The country also boasts of having the largest technology talent in the world.

Against this backdrop, it is timely to revisit our vulnerabilities. These weaknesses have been exposed recently as India negotiates a trade deal with the world’s largest economy, US. Despite having deep engagement with the US technology giants, India has been slapped with a punitive 50 per cent tariff rate.

Similarly, the country has been used in many ways as a punching bag by the US administration in the geopolitical chess board as Russia-Ukraine war rages. Such treatment of US administration has stunned many analysts in India as most commentators have taken the Indo-US relationship as eternal.

As the US negotiates hard with India, leveraging the weaknesses of India; it is pertinent for the country to reduce reliance on the North American country in the technology space.

Despite having top notch tech talent and leading IT services companies along with tech startups, India doesn’t have its own internet browser, operating system, and many defence software products.

The country is solely dependent on the US, Europe, Israel and Russian companies across many technology domains. In this perspective, it is important that the country strives to attend a tech sovereignty.

Reducing dependence on foreign companies in critical areas is vital in the current world. Geopolitics seems to be changing each day with old alliances and partnerships getting questioned in the present context.

India’s rise from fifth largest economy to third largest economy requires self-reliance in critical technology space. This will truly provide Indians a geopolitical heft like never before and put the country to find its past glory.