On Tuesday (January 24), Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tested India’s first indigenous operating system, BharOS.
Dubbed the rival to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, BharOS has been developed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. The new mobile operating system aims to reduce over-dependence on foreign operating systems in smartphones and enhance the security and privacy of users.
In a tweet, Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Tested Indian ‘Operating System’ – BharOS developed at IIT Madras with Dharmendra Pradhan. A leap forward in PM Narendra Modi’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat journey.”
According to Press Information Bureau (PIB), the indigenously developed OS comes with no default apps and therefore gives users the option to not use an unfamiliar app. It provides more control over permissions and data that apps seek from smartphone users.
The new operating system will provide access to trusted apps via organisation-specific Private App Store Services (PASS), which is a list of curated apps that meet security and privacy standards. This will protect users from security vulnerabilities and privacy concerns.
BharOS also provides ‘Native Over The Air’ (NOTA) updates to ensure enhanced security of the devices. NOTA updates are automatically downloaded and installed on the device, without the need for the user to manually initiate the process,” informed Karthik Ayyar of JandKops (company under IIT Madras).
“This ensures that the device is always running the latest version of the operating system, which includes the latest security patches and bug fixes,” he further added.
Innovation and technological developments under Modi govt
Over the years, the Modi government has invested in the development of indigenous technology to make the lives of its citizens smoother. This includes the digital transfer of money through the seamless system of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
PM Modi had also launched e-RUPI under its Digital India initiative in August 2021. A cashless and contactless digital payment instrument, e-RUPI is a QR code/e-Voucher that is delivered to the cell phones of beneficiaries.
The voucher can then be redeemed without a card or internet banking access at the service provider. Without the need for a physical interface, e-RUPI will connect the sponsors with the beneficiaries and service providers in a digital manner.
Earlier, ISRO had developed a regional navigation satellite system called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) to meet India’s positioning, navigation and timing requirements.