Navratnas
- Bikram Jeet
- Aug 29
- 3 min read
Navratnas—a visionary proposal to unite India’s top IT giants in building sovereign digital platforms for national security, citizen empowerment, and global leadership.
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🇮🇳 Navratnas
India’s Digital Backbone Consortium
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🧭 Executive Summary
India stands at a crossroads. While we export talent to build global platforms, we remain dependent on foreign operating systems, firmware, and cloud stacks. Navratnas proposes a consortium of India’s top 25 IT firms to architect foundational software platforms—secure, scalable, and sovereign. This is not just a tech initiative. It is a strategic mission to protect our digital identity, empower our MSMEs, and lead the world in ethical innovation.
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🛡️ Strategic Objectives
- Build India’s own OS and firmware stack for computers, mobile phones, and embedded systems
- Secure citizen identity and government data through military-grade mobile platforms
- Enable MSMEs and enterprises with modular, interoperable digital infrastructure
- Reduce dependency on foreign platforms and cloud ecosystems
- Align with national missions like Digital India, IndiaAI, and MeitY’s DPI vision
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🧠 Consortium Members (Indicative)
| Company | Core Strengths |
|--------|----------------|
| TCS | Banking, automation, enterprise platforms
| Infosys | Fintech, cloud, digital commerce
| Wipro | AI, cybersecurity, digital infra
| HCLTech | Embedded systems, product engineering
| Tech Mahindra | Telecom, 5G, IoT
| L&T Technology Services | Firmware, semiconductors
| Birlasoft | ERP, SAP, digital engineering
| Persistent Systems | Cloud-native platform dev
| Cyient | Aerospace, embedded systems
| Mindtree (LTIMindtree) | Cloud, platform integration
| Mphasis | Cognitive computing, secure platforms
| Zensar Technologies | Agile product development
| Hexaware | Automation, cloud ecosystems
| Coforge | Aviation, BFSI platforms
| Sasken Technologies | Mobile OS layers, telecom
| Innominds | Device-to-cloud platforms
| Happiest Minds | Cybersecurity, IoT
| KPIT Technologies | Automotive OS, EV firmware
| eInfochips | Embedded, ASIC, full-stack
| Tata Elxsi | Automotive, media, healthcare
| CDAC | Supercomputing, BOSS Linux
| Ittiam Systems | Multimedia frameworks
| Soliton Technologies | Embedded vision
| Torry Harris | API platforms
| NIIT Technologies | Platform modernization
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📱 Sovereign Mobile OS: Shyam
Named after Shri Krishna, the divine strategist and protector of dharma, Shyam is the proposed sovereign mobile OS platform. It will feature:
- Hardware-backed encryption
- Secure boot and firmware validation
- Dual OS containerization
- Zero-trust architecture
- Indigenous app ecosystem
- Integration with Aadhaar, DigiLocker, UPI, and India Stack
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🏛️ Policy Alignment
- Digital India: Infrastructure, inclusion, innovation
- IndiaAI: Ethical AI, indigenous LLMs
- MeitY DPI: Open-source, scalable public platforms
- NITI Aayog: Tech for governance, MSME empowerment
- CDAC & DRDO: Defense-grade software and hardware integration
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🧬 Cultural Anchors
- Navratnas: Inspired by ancient councils of wisdom and innovation
- Shyam: Symbol of strategic brilliance and ethical guardianship
- Sandesh: The message to the nation—quiet, clear, and transformative
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🛠️ Implementation Roadmap
1. Phase 1: Formation of Navratnas consortium and technical charter
2. Phase 2: Development of Shyam OS and secure firmware stack
3. Phase 3: Pilot deployment in defense, governance, and MSMEs
4. Phase 4: National rollout and export strategy
5. Phase 5: Continuous innovation and global benchmarking
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🌐 Global Benchmarking
| Platform | Country | Sovereignty Level |
|----------|---------|-------------------|
| Android | USA | Low (open-source, but Google-controlled)
| iOS | USA | Proprietary, closed ecosystem
| HarmonyOS | China | Sovereign, Huawei-controlled
| BOSS Linux | India | Indigenous, limited adoption
| Shyam (Proposed) | India | Sovereign, secure, scalable
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🧭 Closing Statement
> India must not just code for the world.
> India must own its code, protect its citizens, and lead with wisdom.
This is not a pitch.
This is a Sandesh—spoken softly, but meant to echo across generations.
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Would you like to turn this into a presentation deck, policy brief, or TED-style manifesto next? I’m ready when you are.
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