Tech in India: Struggles Against American Tech Giants and a Path to Global Dominance

“At the core of our partnership is the commitment that Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, and I share for the all-round digital transformation of India and for serving all Indians.” This is what Mukesh Ambani, the owner of Reliance Industries Ltd. and the richest man in India, said after Facebook concluded its largest overseas investment, a deal that is predicted to transform the technology landscape of India. 

Facebook invested $5.7 billion for a just under 10% stake in Indian telecom operator Jio Platforms Ltd, the biggest telecom operator in the country with more than 370 million subscribers. The deal not only made Facebook the largest minority shareholder in the Indian telecom network, but also brought India’s emerging tech scene back into the global spotlight.

In this episode, WSJ Asia tech reporter Newley Purnell gives us a detailed overview of the prosperous tech scene in India, the struggles that local startups face when competing against American & Chinese tech giants, Indian government’s antitrust actions, and emerging trends the land promises. Newley also comments on the socio-political life in India in general – from India’s democracy to caste structures, from religious identities to linguistic barriers, as well as issues in Indian business practices that may hinder growth and inclusivity.

This interview was recorded in February after Tiger’s return from a three-week trip in India. Newley and Tiger originally planned on meeting up in New Delhi to do the interview in person but ended up moving to a remote format. The recording does not touch on the most recent Jio-Facebook deal but still provides timely updates on the Indian tech market and its dynamics.

Newley Purnell is a Hong Kong-based journalist working for the Wall Street Journal, where he covers technology and business. Before joining in 2014, Mr. Purnell was a Bangkok-based freelance journalist, contributing to The Journal, Quartz, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Emory University and a Master’s in Business and Economics journalism from Columbia University, where he was a Gray International Reporting Fellow. When this interview was conducted, Newley was based in New Delhi. If you'd like to learn more about Newley's work, please visit newley.com, where you may sign up for his insightful newsletter!

Newley Purnell

Follow him on Twitter @newley and visit his website at newley.com!