Amid growing discussions about India’s dependence on foreign technology, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has proposed a “10-year National Mission for Tech Resilience.” His statement came in response to industrialist Harsh Goenka’s post imagining a scenario where the U.S. bans India from using its tech platforms — a thought experiment that has sparked debate on India’s digital vulnerability.
Harsh Goenka, Chairman of RPG Enterprises, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Imagine if Trump bans India from using U.S. tech platforms — no X, Google, Instagram, Facebook or ChatGPT. Frightening, no! Just think about the consequences seriously and what could be Plan B for us.”
Responding to the post, Sridhar Vembu agreed and added that India’s dependency runs far deeper than social media and applications. “We have a lot more such tech dependency beyond the app level: OS, chips, fabs—it goes deeper and deeper,” he wrote. “We need a 10-year National Mission for Tech Resilience. It can be done.”
Vembu’s comments highlight a broader concern — that India’s digital ecosystem, from cloud computing to mobile operating systems, largely relies on foreign technologies and infrastructure.
India’s digital vulnerability
Experts have often warned that a hypothetical ban by U.S.-based technology giants could disrupt communications, finance, and essential online services across India. With major dependencies on American platforms such as Google, Meta, and Microsoft, even short-term restrictions could affect businesses, governance, and citizen services.
Vembu’s call for a long-term mission echoes earlier proposals for building indigenous alternatives in areas such as semiconductors, cloud infrastructure, and operating systems. He has consistently emphasized that India’s true technological independence requires investment not only in application development but also in foundational technologies like chips and fabs.
While some users on X agreed with Vembu’s vision, others questioned the feasibility of such a mission, citing challenges in breaking global ecosystem lock-ins. Still, the discussion underscores a growing recognition that technological self-reliance is now a strategic necessity, not just an economic aspiration. Vembu’s message serves as a reminder that digital sovereignty will be key to India’s long-term security — a call for resilience in an increasingly uncertain tech world.
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