Sovereign tech can't wait: why 'Make in India' must move beyond sloganeering

In late July 2025, a significant disruption occurred when Microsoft temporarily suspended its services to Nayara Energy, an Indian refiner. This incident, triggered by EU sanctions against Russia—which holds a stake in Nayara—served as a stark reminder of India's vulnerabilities. The reliance on foreign technology and global powers for critical data and foundational systems has raised alarms about the nation’s digital sovereignty. Srividya Kannan, the Founder and Director of Avaali Solutions, emphasized the urgency for India to take decisive action. During a roundtable discussion titled "India Must Own Its Tech Destiny," Kannan and a group of C-suite executives, including Pratima Ram and Neeraj Agrawal, underscored the necessity for Indian enterprises to prioritize homegrown technological solutions. Kannan noted that India missed crucial opportunities in the late 1990s to foster a domestic tech ecosystem. However, she remains optimistic, citing the country’s robust economy, vast datasets, and a population of 1.4 billion as strong foundations for building a thriving tech landscape. Despite this potential, challenges persist. Indian tech firms are often hesitant to invest significantly in product development, fearing they cannot compete with established global players—even within domestic contracts. Kannan pointed out that even when selling to Indian government entities, local firms do not receive preferential treatment. Adoption of indigenous solutions is essential for breaking this cycle of dependence, Kannan argued. Without domestic uptake, startups struggle with under-investment. Drawing comparisons to China, which has successfully promoted local solutions to global standards, she stated, "The biggest proof of pudding is adoption. Once adoption starts, it becomes a forward-moving cycle." Neeraj Agrawal from Tata Projects echoed this sentiment, advocating for a strategy that emphasizes producing technology for India before exporting it. He cited China as a compelling model and Japan as an example of achieving technological excellence through strong industry-government collaborations. Kannan outlined several key initiatives that could catalyze this shift: prioritizing Make in India solutions in public procurement, encouraging the private sector to consider the origins of products, and expanding Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes to cover applications and software. Industry bodies such as NASSCOM, along with academic institutions and R&D organizations, must also play a role in ensuring that Indian technologies meet international standards. While India has made strides in recent years through initiatives like the India AI Mission and semiconductor advancements, Kannan cautioned that more action is required. "We are running out of time. It cannot be about the success of an individual company. It has to be a collaborative effort across government, enterprises, academia, and the media," she warned, stressing the need for a unified approach to secure India's technological future.