India Must Build Local Tech Strength While Staying Open Globally, Says IT Ministry Secretary

India needs to build strong domestic capabilities in critical technologies to guard against supply cuts and sudden technology denials, according to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Secretary S Krishnan. Speaking in New Delhi on Thursday at an event held by the Public Affairs Forum of India, Krishnan called this balanced strategy "sovereign autonomy". He explained that India must stay open to global technology so that citizens and businesses can access the best tools available worldwide, while simultaneously developing enough local capacity to manage independently if those outside supplies ever stop. Krishnan pointed out that India currently relies on both the United States and China across different parts of its tech ecosystem. The US is a major technology partner and export destination, with mobile phone exports crossing twenty billion dollars last year. At the same time, India depends deeply on China despite a difficult political relationship. Because of this mixed reality, India cannot rely on just one source for its technology and supplies. To achieve sovereign autonomy, Krishnan stated that India must grow its presence across vital technology sectors, ranging from electronic devices like mobile phones and laptops to software and digital platforms. This strategy relies on three main pillars: keeping global technology access open, building local production power to survive disruptions, and carving out an important role in international supply chains. However, he clarified that sovereign autonomy does not mean trying to manufacture every single item at home. Modern tech supply chains are far too connected for any single nation to control every step. Instead, India should focus on building a large enough presence in key areas to become indispensable to the global network.