Rise of Sovereign Tech

With homegrown apps, digital infrastructure, and bold reforms, India is shifting from relying on global platforms to creating its own global digital solutions

- JOHN FELIX RAJ & SOVIK MUKHERJEE

What began as an effort to modernise governance has evolved into a national movement for digital self-reliance

India has emerged as a global digital powerhouse over the past decade, driven by intentional policy reforms and a national commitment to Atmanirbharata (self-reliance).

The concept of Digital Atmanirbharata is -the push for indigenous technology, local entrepreneurship, and digital sovereignty-now shapes the country's development trajectory. The 2020 ban on several foreign apps marked a symbolic turning point, sparking a wave of homegrown alternatives. Platforms such as Koo, ShareChat, BharatPe, Meesho, Ula, and Zoho's Arattai demonstrate that India's technological capacity is no longer peripheral; it is central to its economic and cultural future.

The roots of this shift trace back to the 2015 Digital India initiative, which aimed to transform the nation into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. What began as a drive to digitise government services has grown into a comprehensive framework for national digital independence. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transformation; As global supply chains faltered, India's domestic ecosystem filled the gaps, providing platforms for online education, healthcare, payments, and commerce that kept the economy connected.

This evolution is underpinned by the India Stack — a set of interoperable digital public goods such as Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker. By offering a scalable, secure, and low-cost backbone, the Stack has lowered transaction costs and expanded access, enabling startups to build solutions for both rural and urban markets.