Zoho Founder's Stark Warning: Big Tech as the Modern East India Company
In a striking comparison that has ignited widespread discussion, Zoho's co-founder Sridhar Vembu has labeled major technology corporations as the "New East India Company", drawing parallels to historical colonial powers. This bold statement comes in response to France's recent strategic move to replace American video conferencing platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom with a homegrown alternative.
France's Push for Digital Sovereignty
The French government has announced a comprehensive plan to phase out reliance on US-based digital tools, opting instead for a domestically developed platform named Visio. This initiative aims to achieve full implementation across government agencies by 2027, with data hosting managed by French provider Outscale and transcription services handled by local firms. This decision underscores a growing global trend toward asserting greater control over digital infrastructure, a concept Vembu passionately advocates as "technology sovereignty".
Vembu's Viral Commentary on X
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Vembu elaborated on his views, stating, "The very definition of a 'sovereign nation' should now include technology sovereignty." He further emphasized, "Big Tech now is the New East India company and Europeans are now waking up to it. History seems to rhyme with irony." His remarks suggest that modern tech giants exert control through dependencies on data and infrastructure, mirroring the economic and political dominance once wielded by colonial entities like the British and French in regions such as India.
Netizens Rally for Indian Alternatives
Vembu's post quickly went viral, sparking intense reactions from users and industry observers. Many urged him to accelerate the development and promotion of Zoho's privacy-focused tools, including the messaging platform Arattai. In response to queries about Zoho's strategy, Vembu explained, "We are updating Arattai weekly. We will make a big push once we reach a certain level of feature compatibility and differentiation." He cautioned that achieving full technological independence could take 5 to 15 years, citing complex examples like semiconductor manufacturing technologies.
The Broader Implications for Global Tech
This debate highlights a critical shift in how nations perceive digital autonomy. As one user noted, "In the 21st century, sovereignty isn't just borders and armies — it's data, platforms, and standards." The move by France, coupled with Vembu's commentary, signals a potential reevaluation of global tech dependencies, with implications for:
- Data privacy and security concerns
- Economic strategies in the digital age
- International trade and technological collaborations
As countries increasingly prioritize homegrown solutions, the call for technology sovereignty may reshape the competitive landscape, challenging the dominance of US-based tech giants and fostering innovation in local markets worldwide.
