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Indian Ministers Promote Homegrown Alternatives to Google, Microsoft Amid Rising U.S. Trade Tensions

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Three senior ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet are urging Indians to adopt domestic alternatives to U.S. tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Meta, marking the strongest government endorsement yet of “Made in India” technology amid escalating trade frictions with the United States.

The push follows Washington’s decision in August to impose 50% tariffs on Indian imports, a move that has fueled nationalist calls for economic self-reliance. Modi has since urged citizens to replace daily-use foreign products with “swadeshi” (indigenous) alternatives, aligning the campaign with his broader vision of digital sovereignty.

This week, Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw showcased highway project plans using Zoho software—an Indian rival to Microsoft PowerPoint—and MapmyIndia, instead of Google Maps. “The map is from MapmyIndia, not Google Maps,” he said, smiling. “It’s looking nice, right? Swadeshi.”

Vaishnaw’s social media video testing Zoho’s software attracted 6.2 million views on X, urging users to support Indian digital tools. Similarly, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have promoted Zoho’s messaging app Arattai (“chat” in Tamil), calling it a symbol of India’s technological independence. Goyal posted on X, “So proud to be on @Arattai, a #MadeInIndia messaging platform that brings India closer.”

The campaign appears to be paying off: according to Sensor Tower, Arattai downloads surged from under 10,000 in August to over 400,000 in September, with daily active users doubling to 100,000 by September 26.

Still, experts caution that displacing entrenched global brands such as WhatsApp, Google Maps, and Microsoft Office will be difficult. India remains WhatsApp’s largest market, with more than 500 million users, and U.S. platforms dominate both consumer and enterprise software ecosystems.

Dilip Cherian, co-founder of Perfect Relations, warned that “only state patronage will not be enough.” For Indian challengers like Zoho to succeed, he said, they need “a unique differentiating factor, deep pockets, and strong protection against surveillance.”

Zoho’s billionaire co-founder Sridhar Vembu has become a national symbol of tech self-reliance through his rural-based business model, which runs key operations from small villages rather than major tech hubs.

India’s digital strategy increasingly reflects a geopolitical balancing act: promoting technological independence and data sovereignty while maintaining access to U.S. innovation and investment. Whether apps like Zoho and Arattai can sustain momentum without losing the enthusiasm of government boosters remains an open question.

Google Fined $3.45 Billion by EU for Antitrust Breaches in Adtech; Trump Threatens Retaliation

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Google (Alphabet) has been fined €2.95 billion ($3.45 billion) by the European Union for abusing its dominance in the online advertising technology market, marking the fourth major EU penalty against the company in a decade.

The European Commission found that since 2014, Google unfairly favored its own adtech services, particularly its AdX exchange, to the detriment of rivals and online publishers. The watchdog ordered Google to end these self-preferencing practices and address conflicts of interest, warning that stronger remedies, including potential divestitures, remain on the table if compliance efforts fall short. Google has 60 days to propose changes and another 30 days to implement them.

U.S. President Donald Trump blasted the fine as “unfair” and “discriminatory,” threatening to launch a Section 301 trade investigation that could nullify EU penalties and impose retaliatory tariffs. “We cannot let this happen to brilliant American ingenuity,” Trump said, vowing to confront the EU directly.

Google said it would appeal, arguing the decision is “wrong” and would harm European businesses that rely on its services to generate ad revenue. “There’s nothing anticompetitive in providing services for ad buyers and sellers, and there are more alternatives than ever,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s VP of regulatory affairs.

The fine comes amid mounting U.S.-EU trade tensions, with Brussels under pressure to balance antitrust enforcement with the risk of Trump’s tariff retaliation on European exports, including cars. While the Commission stopped short of ordering a breakup, critics—including the European Publishers Council—warned that fines alone would not curb Google’s dominance in the €120 billion adtech market.

The ruling adds to Google’s history of penalties in Europe: €4.3 billion in 2018, €2.42 billion in 2017, and €1.49 billion in 2019. Meanwhile, Google faces a U.S. trial in September to determine remedies in a Justice Department case that found it illegally monopolized online advertising.

Google’s advertising business remains the backbone of its revenue, generating $264.6 billion in 2024 (75.6% of total sales) across services including YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Google Play.

China Slams U.S. as “Surveillance Empire” Over Chip Shipment Trackers

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China’s state-run media Xinhua criticized the United States on Friday for secretly placing location trackers in shipments of advanced chips at risk of diversion to China, calling the practice indicative of the “instincts of a surveillance empire.” Reuters had reported earlier that U.S. authorities embedded these devices to monitor shipments subject to export restrictions aimed at curbing China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology.

In a commentary titled “America turns chip trade into a surveillance game,” Xinhua accused Washington of running “the world’s most sprawling intelligence apparatus” and treating trade partners as rivals to be undermined. The piece warned that if U.S. chips are perceived as potential surveillance tools, global customers may seek alternatives.

The commentary reflects ongoing tensions between the two tech superpowers. The U.S. government has imposed strict limits on exports of advanced chips and related equipment to China, while Washington and its allies have previously accused China of embedding potential surveillance capabilities in exported products, ranging from telecom gear to vehicles.

In recent moves, China has asked U.S. chipmaker Nvidia to clarify whether its H20 chips contain hidden backdoors and has cautioned domestic tech companies about their use, amid heightened scrutiny of foreign technology for security risks.