US-dependent India needs indigenous operating system, app store

Dominance in global stage has multiple features. From strong military to robust commerce; from geostrategic positioning to soft power coming from culture and tourism and influence in the world stage stem from varying factors. Technology dominance is another strong factor in the present times. In the digital era, several social media platforms have an all-pervading presence. Similarly, the world has gone app-based as being online is the new normal. In this context, the recent controversy with regard to Google’s Play Store is a case in point. Last week, Google delisted several prominent apps developed by Indian firms from its marketplace Play Store for non-compliance with its billing policies. They included Bharat Matrimony, Telugu Matrimony, Tamil Matrimony, Marathi Matrimony, Matrimony.com’s Jodii and People Group’s Shaadi.com; dating apps Truly Madly and QuackQuack and vernacular video-streaming platforms Stage, Altt and audio streaming and podcast app Kuku FM. Such removal triggered a fresh conflict with several Indian local internet firms that have been at loggerheads with Google for quite some time now.

Subsequently, the central government intervened and after a discussion with the IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the US tech major restored the removed apps and said it would allow them to offer in-app payments while extending the timeline to pay the service fee it charges developers. Indian internet firms and Google have been at loggerheads for quite some time over the billing system. According to them, Google is using its dominant position to charge exorbitant commissions of 15-30 per cent for its services. Moreover, the billing policy also gives the company access to every transaction made by customers, along with other sensitive user data. Such pricing and privacy issues highlight the technology dominance of Google over the Indian startup landscape. Though technology cuts across borders with far reaching implications, US-based technology giants have been dominating the world scene for several decades now. Google, Microsoft, Apple, and the likes influence most nations. Users comply with their pricing policies, privacy rules and related matters in the absence of effective and feasible alternatives.

Though some countries like China have come up with their own internet browser and operating system, most other countries, including India, heavily rely on US technology giants. So, when a country of 1.4 billion people like India doesn’t have its own operating system or browser, the overall ecosystem suffers, which remains the bane. In the last one decade, India has done an impressive job in developing its own digital stack. Unified Payment Interface (UPI), Aadhaar, eKYC, Digital Lockers, eSign, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and others are some of the examples of digital public infrastructure that have been developed successfully, over the years. However, there are many missing pieces to this impressive digital stack. To break the dominance of technology giants, India needs to develop its own operating system, browser and app store. This will reduce dependence on multinational giants and create a more competitive environment for internet-powered businesses, besides creating employment avenues.