No More Windows! Indian Defence Services are Switching to Linux: Indian Govt offices to use Linux distribution, replacing Microsoft Windows
Based on Ubuntu. Interface and functionality like Windows, users will not feel much difference. BRICS countries committed to their own Linux distributions. South Africa has been the exception.
BRICS isn’t an alliance or a cohesive entity. It’s the equivalent of the G7 for major non-western economies. India and China hate each other. China and Russia only really get along in being anti-US. Brazil and South Africa have no real intersection with the geopolitical goals of the other. BRICS isn’t a geopolitical anything of any meaning.
I suspect India is doing this for the simple reason that they have zero control over Windows while they would have as much control as they want over internal-Linux use. They’re large enough that they can make it work, assuming they’re willing to dedicate the people and the money to it and put up with the non-insubstantial switching costs. Open question on what their follow through will look like, but it’s entirely within their capability.
I’m well aware that BRICS isn’t an alliance, but they share the common goal of reducing dependence on western countries. With every BRICS member, except for ZA, committing to developing their own Linux distributions, they have more opportunities to share knowledge and have a better chance in becoming less dependent on the USA in the tech sector. I’m pretty sure there is (or will be) some sort of partnership in that department. The EU has the same goal when it supports Linux and open source software (data sovereignty). China and Russia have both been at the receiving end of US sanctions which prevent access to modern technology like chip designs, not to mention how they banned Huawei from using Google products, so their stake in becoming less dependent is much higher than the EU for example.
I didn’t want to imply that India would do something to be sanctioned, rather to be more prepared in case they would be drawn into the conflict between the US and Russia + China for being a close trading partner. They probably won’t be, but I’m sure that that’s at least a part of the reason. The military especially needs to be self sufficient.
cyu
Glowing Lantern