Panel discussion at India International Center, where BDIA and SITARA emphasized the urgent need for a Digital Atmanirbharta programme.
New Delhi [India], October 3: B-DIA (Bharath Digital Infrastructure Association), a non-profit supporting Indian-origin cloud platforms, joined a discussion with SITARA (Science Indigenous Technology & Advanced Research Accelerator) at the India International Center. The discussion stressed the urgent need for a Digital Atmanirbharta programme and highlighted the need for policies that support private R&D and indigenous cloud services.
Chaired by Ambassador Ashok Kantha, the discussion brought together policymakers, tech leaders, and industry experts, including Dr. Sasmit Patra, Hon’ble MP; Shri Parminder Jeet Singh, Digital Affairs Expert; Shri Abhishek Bhatt, Founder & Secretary General of BDIA; Rahul Takkallapally, Co-founder, BharathCloud; Shri Ashish Sonal, AI & Security Specialist; Amb. Smita Purushottam, Founder of SITARA, and Shri K.N. Shrivastava, Director of IIC.
The discussion highlighted Digital Atmanirbharta as a priority for both India’s economy and national security. Key points included building a strong tech ecosystem to retain talent, treating data as a strategic national asset, and promoting domestic apps, platforms, and sovereign clouds for secure data storage, AI, and public services. Experts also stressed that Foreign Trade deals should not compromise India’s digital sovereignty and called for stronger self-reliance in military tech to counter external threats.
While initiatives like DPI, Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, UPI, the National AI Mission, and the Semiconductor Mission have made progress, the next focus should be Digital Atmanirbharta, which could add US$1 trillion to the economy, create quality jobs, and strengthen national security.
“India’s cloud and data infrastructure are key to both our economy and national security. Strengthening Indian data centers, promoting homegrown cloud platforms, and supporting policies for local innovation will help India achieve true Digital Atmanirbharta while safeguarding our digital sovereignty”, said Rahul Takkallapally, Co-founder of BharathCloud and a global tech leader, participated as a panelist, sharing his expertise in cloud, data, cybersecurity, and policy.
Founder of SITARA Ambassador Smita Purushottam and Abhishek Bhatt, Secretary General of B-DIA said, “Nayara-Microsoft episode was an eye opener; digital sovereignty is not a choice but a national imperative and our policies should be aligned towards creating the building blocks of our digital ecosystem – cloud, apps, cloud and platforms – to ensure not just technological sovereignty but also National Security.”
The session ended with an interactive Q&A, where Dr. Patra addressed questions from the audience and panelists. The meeting concluded with a unanimous call to make Digital Industrial Policy the foundation of India’s digital sovereignty, economy, and national security.
About B-DIA
The Bharath Digital Infrastructure Association (B-DIA) was founded in July 2025 as a not-for-profit industry body and think-and-do tank, representing only Made-in-India technology companies. It focuses on strengthening Bharat’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and advancing a trusted, sovereign technology framework aligned with the government’s Digital India vision. With a startup mindset, BDIA drives policy advocacy and innovation to help Indian digital companies, especially startups, unlock their potential in emerging technologies like AI, Cloud, IoT, and Blockchain while ensuring digital sovereignty and long-term national interest.
About SITARA
SITARA, the Science, Indigenous Technology & Advanced Research Accelerator, is dedicated to establishing technology as the foundation of India’s economic and geopolitical strength. It promotes a high-tech, R&D-driven industrial policy emphasising domestic innovation, investment in local research, and a robust vocational education system based on successful international models. SITARA advocates reforms in government procurement to prioritise indigenous companies, fostering sustainable growth, strategic self-reliance, and global competitiveness.
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