Centre will back all tech products that match global standards
What's the story
S Krishnan, the Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has said that the government will back Indian tech products that can compete with global offerings. He made these remarks during a podcast with Moneycontrol on the sidelines of the Indian Mobile Congress. The comments come amid a push from ministers to adopt Zoho's digital office suite for government work.
Competitive edge
Krishnan emphasizes nurturing Indian alternatives
Krishnan stressed that the government's focus is on nurturing Indian alternatives that can match best-in-class products from global tech giants. He said, "We will support everything which is Indian, which is of that quality and that kind of competitiveness." The IT Secretary emphasized that India should never settle for anything less than the best in class, even if it comes with an 'Indian' tag.
Government endorsement
Government's push for Zoho's digital office suite
The Indian government has been pushing for the adoption of Zoho's digital office suite, including email services, for government work. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have been at the forefront of this push. Krishnan revealed that a little over a year ago, the entire National Informatics Centre (NIC) email system migrated to a Zoho email basis after price discovery and tendering processes.
Inclusive approach
Krishnan clarifies government's stance on Indian tech products
While MeitY has been seen as backing Zoho's expansion across ministries, Krishnan clarified that the government's push is for all Indian tech products, not just one company. He said, "It's not fair to single out a single company and say we are pushing this. Our wider push will be for Indian products." The IT Secretary emphasized that building Indian technology alternatives is about expanding choice, not imposing preference.