RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka has voiced alarm over reports that U.S. President Donald Trump may move to block India’s access to major American tech platforms such as X, Google, and Instagram. Warning of the potential fallout from such a ban, Goenka urged users to start exploring alternative platforms.
“Imagine if Trump bans India from using US tech platforms- no X, Google, Instagram, Facebook or ChatGPT. Frightening, no! Just think about the consequences seriously and what could be Plan B for us,” Harsh Goenka wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
Echoing Goenka’s concerns, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu backed the call for greater self-reliance, emphasizing the need to tackle India’s deep-rooted dependence on foreign technology through a National Mission for Tech Resilience.
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Vembu said, “I agree. And we have a lot more such tech dependency beyond the app level: OS, chips, fabs, .. it goes deeper and deeper. We need a 10 year “National Mission for Tech Resilience”. It can be done,” commenting under Goenka’s post.
Vembu’s comments come at a time when India is increasingly promoting its own homegrown digital ecosystem. His company’s platforms like Arrattai, seen as a local alternative to WhatsApp, and Zoho Mail, positioned against Gmail have recently climbed the charts on both the App Store and Google Play in India, reflecting growing user interest in domestic tech solutions.
In a show of support for India’s homegrown technology sector, country’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several other cabinet members have recently adopted Zoho Mail for official use, signaling the government’s growing endorsement of domestic digital platforms.
Building on the success of Arattai, Zoho introduced Vani on October 1, 2025, an intelligent visual collaboration platform designed to transform how remote and hybrid teams plan, collaborate, and execute projects within a unified workspace, positioning it as a strong contender to Google Workspace.
Goenka’s post sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many users debating the feasibility and potential of developing Indian alternatives to dominant global tech platforms.
“Waiting for the day when US tech companies start worrying about attracting top talent from India. The day it happens we will have real Independence. As you pointed out this problem cannot be looked at in isolation Supply chain dependencies are higher than automotive and pharma,” one of the users commented.
Someone else stated, “A consortium of private companies can work for this. Help colleges, R&D labs etc. a lot of youth would love to stay close to families and with connectivity help make it a reality.”
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“I highly doubt this would ever happen, not in the next 10 years. Trump’s a businessman, not a fool to cut off America’s biggest tech market—India. India is the largest or second-largest market for nearly every U.S. tech giant. Tech independence is good, but this reasoning isn’t,” while another user stated, as quoted by Mint.
Indian leaders are clearly signaling a push toward self-reliance in the digital space, championing homegrown platforms like Zoho Mail, Arattai, and Vani as viable alternatives to global giants. At the same time, users are actively engaging in the conversation online—some expressing optimism about adopting domestic tech, while others debate its scalability and readiness.