India's digital sovereignty struggle reveals colonial-era tech dependency patterns
Original framing: “India’s tech sovereignty is built on digital dependence” — Rest of World
India's current digital dependence echoes the colonial era's reliance on British technological infrastructure, which was designed to serve imperial interests rather than Indian development. Post-independence, this pattern was reinforced by Cold War-era technology transfers that prioritized Western geopolitical goals over local needs.
India's struggle with digital sovereignty is not merely a contemporary policy challenge but a continuation of colonial-era patterns of technological dependency.
The reliance on Western tech firms and the neglect of indigenous knowledge systems have created a digital ecosystem that is both vulnerable and exclusionary. By integrating cross-cultural insights, historical awareness, and marginalized voices into digital strategy, India can move toward a more resilient and equitable model. This requires not only technical innovation but also a reimagining of governance and power structures that have long shaped the country's technological trajectory.