Homegrown startups take on Google, Facebook for 'India's digital dreams'

The Indian group is considering lobbying with the government to have global technology companies such as Google and Facebook become "local"

Founders of dozens of Indian startups gathered over a Zoom call earlier this week to discuss setting up a startup collective to fight the power of Big Tech, shape digital policy and lobby on behalf of the country’s digital enterprises.

About 56 founders were on the Tuesday evening video conference where discussions ranged from establishing an alternative to Alphabet Inc.-owned Google Play Store, the supremacy of large technology corporations such as Facebook Inc. and joining hands to get their voice heard by the government and the global behemoths.

“We, the country’s digital startups, need to have a joint voice so that the