Building Digital Self-Reliance Like Critical Infrastructure

From creating Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identity system, to launching UPI, which now handles over 12 billion monthly transactions, the country has demonstrated a capacity to design public digital infrastructure at scale. Platforms like DigiLocker, CoWIN, and ONDC have further shown the power of interoperable systems built for India’s unique context.

These successes didn’t come from copying international models—they came from first-principles thinking: designed in India, for India.

Yet, as we look toward the next decade of digital growth, a critical vulnerability remains: India still does not fully control the core digital infrastructure it relies on.

From Access to Control

Smartphones are the gateway through which hundreds of millions of Indians access the internet, financial services, healthcare, education, and more. Yet the operating systems powering these devices, the firmware that controls updates, and the cloud environments storing our data are overwhelmingly managed outside India. While more than 820 million Indians own smartphones today, 99% of these devices operate on foreign OS stacks. Decisions on updates, privacy protocols, app ecosystems, and data access are often made beyond India’s jurisdiction, with minimal accountability to domestic regulators.

This isn’t merely a technical issue—it’s a strategic governance challenge. It affects India’s ability to enforce data sovereignty, protect user privacy, and ensure regulatory compliance. If the platforms themselves are governed by foreign laws, meaningful adherence to Indian regulation becomes difficult.

Ownership, Not Just Usage

India’s digital journey has been defined by massive adoption, bringing millions online. But widespread use alone is no longer sufficient. To secure our digital future, we must ask a harder question: who actually owns the systems we rely on?

There is a stark difference between using a platform and governing it. While India has successfully brought citizens online, the systems that underpin daily digital life—OS frameworks, app ecosystems, cloud infrastructure, and algorithmic engines—are largely designed and controlled by foreign commercial entities.

This misalignment between usage and control creates structural friction. Not because these platforms are inherently adversarial, but because they were never created to operate under India’s legal, social, or regulatory frameworks. A single global software update can alter consent protocols or access to personal data without prior consultation. Sensitive public-sector data stored on foreign cloud platforms is often subject to external legal regimes. These dynamics weaken enforcement, amplify risks, and reduce public trust.

The solution is clear: we must shift from friction to alignment by building sovereign digital capabilities—systems designed to embed Indian laws, social priorities, and governance norms into their very architecture.

Designing Sovereignty Into Systems

India has successfully executed such design thinking before. Aadhaar was not just a database—it was a standardized identity framework. UPI was not simply a payment tool—it was a protocol enabling interoperable, inclusive digital finance. These systems thrived because they were designed with scale, trust, and inclusivity in mind.

It’s time to apply this architectural mindset to smartphones, operating systems, cloud infrastructure, and emerging AI models. Digital sovereignty does not mean isolating India from global partnerships—it means creating platforms that are accountable, auditable, and governable within India.

The urgency is real. As global competition intensifies in semiconductors, cloud access, and AI, nations are rethinking their digital dependencies. India cannot remain a passive consumer of global platforms while aspiring to lead the digital economy. Failing to act now risks building a digitally advanced but strategically vulnerable economy.

Strategic Investment in Sovereign Technology

Digital self-reliance also requires thoughtful procurement and investment. Public-sector technology deployments—in education, healthcare, and rural governance—must prioritize indigenous, sovereign technology stacks. Private investment should flow toward foundational systems: India-developed operating systems, compliance-ready cloud platforms, open-source governance layers, and AI models aligned with national standards.

Sovereign digital systems are more than symbolic—they are strategic assets. They enable India to offer trusted alternatives, reduce exposure to global disruptions, and strengthen its negotiating power in a multipolar digital landscape.

The challenge is significant, but the cost of continued dependence is higher. India’s next decade in digital technology cannot be measured by adoption alone. It must be defined by control over the code, the cloud, and the compliance architecture that underpins daily digital life. India has the talent, the scale, and the regulatory framework. Now, it needs the platforms.

Infrastructure shapes destiny. In the digital era, it must be deliberately designed.

Madhav Sheth is the Founder & CEO of NxtQuantum Shift Technologies. The views expressed are personal.