Indian Govt Working on Policy to Develop Indigenous Android and iOS Alternative

Jan. 25, 2022

The Indian government is reportedly planning to formulate a policy to facilitate the creation of a homegrown mobile OS, that will serve asan alternative to Google’s Androidand Apple’s iOS. The news comes from aPTIinterview with Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT.

Policy for Homegrown Android and iOS Alternative

According to the report, thepolicy is considered due to the dominance of Android and iOSin the smartphone industry.“There is no third one. Therefore, in a lot of ways there is tremendous interest in MeitY and in the Government of India to even create a new handset operating system. We are talking to people. We are looking at a policy for that,”Chandrasekhar toldPTI.

The report states that the government islooking for options within startup and academic ecosystemsfor the development of the indigenous mobile OS in question. Furthermore, the minister said that most policies and policy tools are being re-looked at in the context of reimagining goals and ambitions.

“If there is some real capability then we will be very much interested in developing that area because that will create an alternative to iOS and Android which then an Indian brand can grow,”he added.

Subin writes about consumer tech, software, and security. He secretly misses the headphone jack while pretending he’s better off with the wireless freedom.