Who Controls India's Digital Off Switch?

The abrupt suspension of advanced AI services outside the United States has reignited calls for sovereign AI. 
 
Yet AI is only the latest layer of a much deeper challenge—India's dependence on foreign-controlled digital infrastructure.

From cloud platforms and cybersecurity certificates to software repositories and navigation systems, many critical digital services operate on technologies governed beyond India's borders. 
 
In times of crisis, these dependencies can quickly become vulnerabilities.
 
India learned this lesson during the Kargil conflict, when access to foreign navigation support became uncertain. 
 
The experience eventually led to the development of NavIC, highlighting the importance of technological self-reliance.
 
The risks remain real. 
 
The RedEcho cyber campaign targeting India's power sector during border tensions with China exposed weaknesses in critical infrastructure. 
 
The Mumbai power outage of October 2020 further underscored the consequences of cyber vulnerabilities.
 
Today, much of India's digital ecosystem still depends on external platforms, creating potential points of control and disruption.
 
Building sovereign cloud infrastructure, trusted digital certification systems, indigenous R&D capabilities, and a long-term cybersecurity strategy is no longer optional. 
 
Digital sovereignty is now central to national security, economic resilience, and strategic independence.