Sridhar Vembu Urges ‘National Mission for Tech Resilience’ as India Risks Overreliance on US Technology

Zoho Corporation founder Sridhar Vembu has issued a strong warning about India’s growing dependence on foreign technology, particularly from the United States. Amid increasing global uncertainties, Vembu is advocating for a long-term national strategy to ensure India’s “tech resilience” and safeguard its digital future.

The Chennai-based entrepreneur shared his concerns on X, responding to industrialist Harsh Goenka, who highlighted the potential crisis that could unfold if geopolitical tensions lead to restrictions on US technology. Goenka’s post speculated on a scenario where US President Donald Trump might ban American apps in India, saying, “No X, Google, Instagram, Facebook or ChatGPT. Frightening, no! Just think about the consequences seriously and what could be Plan B for us.”

Reacting to the post, Vembu emphasised that the issue goes far beyond apps and social media platforms. He pointed out that India’s vulnerability stems from its reliance on foreign infrastructure across multiple layers of the technology stack — including operating systems, processors, and semiconductor fabrication units (fabs).

“Apps are just a small part of the problem,” Vembu noted, adding that the real challenge lies in the dependency on OS, chips, and fabs. He proposed that India adopt a 10-year ‘National Mission for Tech Resilience’ aimed at creating homegrown alternatives and ensuring technological sovereignty.

Vembu acknowledged that such an ambitious effort wouldn’t be easy but remained optimistic, stating, “It can be done.”

Zoho has already taken steps toward self-reliance by developing a range of indigenous software products. From Zoho Mail and Zoho Sheet to the Arattai messaging app, the company offers a comprehensive suite of services that rival western tech giants. Arattai, in particular, has gained attention as a homegrown alternative to WhatsApp, symbolising India’s potential to build robust local platforms.

However, India’s dependence on foreign operating systems and processors remains a major challenge. Globally, the smartphone market is dominated by Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, both controlled by US companies. While Huawei’s HarmonyOS has gained traction in China, India still lacks its own viable OS for smartphones or PCs.

The situation is similar in semiconductor manufacturing. The world’s leading chipmakers — TSMC in Taiwan and Samsung in South Korea — hold near-total control over advanced chip fabrication. Most smartphones today run on processors built by these companies.

India has made some progress in this direction. Earlier this year, it introduced the Vikram 32-bit processor, a step toward domestic chip design and production. Yet, experts agree that it will take time before India can compete with established global players in terms of performance and scale.

Vembu’s call for a national technology mission comes at a time when countries worldwide are rethinking their digital dependencies. His vision underscores the importance of building indigenous capabilities — not just in apps, but across the entire technology ecosystem, from hardware to software — to ensure India’s long-term security and innovation autonomy.