New Delhi, Sept. 24 -- The story of India's rise in technology is compelling. Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Indian space exploration and defence innovation have all showcased our ability to think big and deliver on ambitious goals. But behind these accomplishments lies a sobering reality: India's digital backbone-from search engines, social media and the cloud to chips and servers-is still dominated by the US and China.

Investment firm Bernstein, which recently did an analysis, puts it plainly: apart from our digital public infrastructure, we 'own' little. And in a world where technology is increasingly wielded as a geopolitical weapon, this dependence leaves the country vulnerable.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rightly ...