India is rapidly emerging as a global hub for innovative technology solutions that address complex, real-world challenges. At the recently held KubeCon + CloudNativeCon India, The Linux Foundation announced the establishment of LF India, an initiative to empower Indian developers, enterprises, and government organizations to collaborate on transformative open-source projects. With a focus on areas such as cloud native, telecommunications, blockchain, and AI, LF India aims to build a robust ecosystem that fosters innovation tailored to local needs with global impact.
In an exclusive conversation with Tech Achieve Media, Arpit Joshipura, SVP and GM of The Linux Foundation and Head of LF India, shared his insights on India’s growing technological prowess, the Indian developer community’s focus on systemic problem-solving as opposed to consumer-centric applications, and the pivotal role open source plays in driving the nation’s digital future. He also shed light on LF India’s alignment with the Indian government’s roadmap for Digital Public Infrastructure and emerging trends like AI, Edge/IoT, and blockchain that will shape the country’s tech landscape in the coming years.
TAM: What is The Linux Foundation India to help Indian developers become innovators as opposed to mimicking something happening on a global scale?
Arpit Joshipura: We’ve structured the initiative around five sub-foundations that will serve as the initial focus:
- LF Networking – focusing on telecommunications.
- LF Edge – covering Edge and IoT technologies.
- LF Decentralized Trust – emphasizing blockchain, particularly for projects like central bank digital infrastructures, such as Air Suvita.
- CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) – focusing on cloud-native technologies.
- OpenSSF (Open Source Security Foundation) – addressing security frameworks.
These five sub-foundations will be integral to the LF India Initiative.
Supporting Open Source Developers
Our approach centers on empowering open source developers and communities. To this end:
- We’re hosting KubeCon Open Source Summit India in Hyderabad next August. This event, announced in my recent keynote, aims to bring developers together. If this year’s sold-out show is anything to go by, next year’s event will be even bigger.
- Our flagship event, the Open Source Summit, will also cover these key areas.
Strategic Partnerships
We’ve formed significant partnerships to strengthen our efforts:
- Partnering with ISF, a startup community, to provide training for developers. We’ve signed an MOU with them.
- Collaborating with OpenNets, a startup incubator in Bangalore. They’re donating lab space and equipment for developers to experiment with open source projects, conduct proof-of-concepts (POCs), and innovate.
These partnerships aim to bring cutting-edge technology to India, fostering innovation across industries.
Local Innovation vs. Global Trends
It’s important to recognize that not every country or company needs to invent the next big thing, like AI or quantum computing. These require unique environments, often driven by the venture capital ecosystem of places like Silicon Valley. Having been through three startups myself, I’ve seen that firsthand.
India, however, is tackling problems that are more relevant locally and more impactful globally. For instance:
- Using Edge IoT technology to improve agricultural crop yields by 5%.
- Addressing real-world challenges rather than niche innovations like itinerary planning apps.
India’s Evolution in Tech
Ten years ago, India was primarily solving bugs for companies in the US, working through giants like TCS and Infosys. But today, India is driving cutting-edge R&D.
- Engineers here are on par with the best globally—state-of-the-art professionals shaping the future of technology.
- Companies like Infosys, with board members involved in this initiative, are leading and contributing to next-generation technologies.
Open source has bridged the innovation gap, enabling India to move from a support role to a leadership position in global tech innovation. This is just the beginning of what’s possible.
TAM: How does the Indian developer community compare on a global scale?
Arpit Joshipura: No, there isn’t any significant difference.Talent distribution follows a bell curve globally. There’s always the top 5, the exceptionally smart individuals you can easily identify, and then there’s the middle majority and the rest. We haven’t observed major differences in this distribution worldwide.
One significant advantage India has is the language factor. With English being widely spoken, documentation is done effectively, and developers face minimal language barriers—unlike in countries like China.
Another key strength lies in the ability to think and work at a system level. Indian developers excel in understanding complex systems, thanks to years of solving real-world challenges.
- When you look at code, it starts with small modules, moves to subsystems, then systems, and finally the entire architecture.
- India has architects who grasp the bigger picture because of their experience in tackling intricate, real-life problems—be it power outages, resource shortages, or other systemic issues. This adaptability is almost second nature and sets them apart from developers in regions like Europe or the U.S.
That said, there are still areas where improvement is needed, particularly in terms of effort and consistency in deliverables. Timely delivery and sustained consistency remain challenges. Sometimes, the work comes in bursts, and there are occasional delays due to personal or situational reasons. However, this is changing for the better. With growing professionalism and evolving work culture, these gaps are rapidly closing. While there are minor areas to improve, the Indian developer community is on par with global standards, especially with its system-level problem-solving capabilities and adaptability.
TAM: Is English a language necessary and still considered an advantage? Wouldn’t vernacularisation be the right approach?
Arpit Joshipura: The reason for this lies in communication within a global developer community. It’s not just about writing code; it’s about how you collaborate—how you do code reviews, file tickets, and communicate effectively.
The language of communication, not the programming language itself, is key. The code could be in Java, Python, or any other language—that doesn’t matter. Developers will work with whatever modules they are skilled in, and that’s fine.
However, collaboration is where language plays a vital role. For instance, at the Linux Foundation, we host what’s called a Technical Steering Committee (TSC). My managers also conduct weekly R&D operations meetings.
These meetings, which might be as early as 6:30 AM, involve discussions like:
- “What is your release status?”
- “When will your code be ready?”
All of this is conducted in English. So, it’s less about the programming languages used and more about effective communication that ensures smooth collaboration across global teams.
TAM: How is The Linux Foundation India aligned with the Indian Government’s roadmap for Digital Public Infrastructure?
Arpit Joshipura: The technologies being used by DPI are all part of the Linux Foundation’s ecosystem. Specifically, the project is called LF Decentralized Trust (LFDT), and the core technology driving it is blockchain.
There are two primary projects under this initiative: Hyperledger and Fabric. These technologies power critical systems like central bank digital currencies, including the infrastructure for currency exchange. Platforms like Air Suvidha are built on this foundation. Even some elements of UPI leverage blockchain, with significant contributions from Infosys. Currently, there are around 15,000 developers in India actively working on open-source blockchain projects. Given this momentum, it was only natural for us to launch The Linux Foundation India, with blockchain being one of its key pillars among the five core focus areas.
TAM: What are three emerging areas or technologies you see gaining momentum in India over the next few years, and how do you plan to contribute to their growth?
Arpit Joshipura: Clearly, AI is the top priority right now—everyone is talking about it. At the Linux Foundation, we host a foundation called LF AI and Data, because AI isn’t just about artificial intelligence—it’s also about data, which is often referred to as the “new oil.”
This foundation oversees around 100 open-source AI projects, including large language models (LLMs). We also host PyTorch, one of the most widely used tools in the AI space, originally donated by Google. A significant number of developers contributing to these projects are based in India.
The second major area is Edge computing and IoT. Edge and IoT are critical because moving compute resources closer to applications and users enables transformative solutions across industries like manufacturing, agriculture, retail, and smart cities. We support this through LF Edge, a dedicated sub-foundation for these technologies.
Looking further ahead, quantum technologies are an emerging area. While we haven’t fully committed to building a large foundation around it yet, it’s gaining traction and will likely be a major focus in the next five years. Right now, the hottest areas of focus are AI, Edge computing, and the security of open source, which is another critical aspect.
TAM: Any final thoughts?
Arpit Joshipura: I think an important aspect to consider is how government policies are shaping the technological landscape. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is a great example in India, with numerous policies supporting its development. Similarly, in the US, regardless of the political party in power, the government has mandated that all critical infrastructure—such as telecommunications and energy systems—be based on open source, citing its superior security. This has been explicitly stated in their policies. It might be worthwhile to explore and compare these policy approaches between advanced countries like the US and India.
