India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has urged TCS and Infosys to develop an indigenous mobile operating system (OS), aiming to reduce dependency on foreign platforms and enhance digital sovereignty. This initiative aligns with India's vision of self-reliance in technology.
India’s smartphone ecosystem is dominated by Android and iOS, leaving little room for domestic alternatives. The government has long been concerned about data security, privacy risks, and foreign tech dominance. A homegrown OS would give India control over its digital infrastructure, ensuring that sensitive data stays within the country.
This is not the first attempt to create an Indian mobile OS. BharOS, developed by an IIT Madras-incubated startup, was designed as a privacy-focused alternative to Android but failed due to poor app ecosystem support. Indus OS, a regional-language-based platform, was acquired by PhonePe and functioned more as an Android skin rather than an independent OS.
Developing a native OS presents significant challenges. One major hurdle is the lack of a robust app ecosystem. Convincing developers to create apps for a new OS is difficult, as Google Play and Apple’s App Store dominate the market. Without an app store, user adoption would be low.
Another challenge is OEM adoption. Smartphone manufacturers rely heavily on Android’s deep integration. Getting brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Vivo to pre-install a new OS would require substantial incentives from the government.
Security and user experience are also critical. A successful OS must be stable, secure, and regularly updated. Poor security features or frequent crashes could discourage users, leading to low adoption.
TCS and Infosys, despite being global IT leaders, primarily focus on enterprise software and IT services, not consumer-facing OS development. However, with government support, they could collaborate with startups, research institutions, and hardware manufacturers to build a scalable OS.
For this initiative to succeed, the government could mandate Indian OS usage in government-issued smartphones, provide financial incentives, and encourage partnerships with telecom and tech firms to create a sustainable ecosystem.
While a Made in India OS fits into the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, success depends on industry collaboration, strong backing, and an engaging user experience. Without solving the ecosystem challenges, breaking Android and iOS dominance remains difficult.
Developing a homegrown mobile OS is strategically important, but it requires long-term investment, technical expertise, and policy support. If executed well, this initiative could position India as a major player in the global technology landscape.
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