BharOS: India Makes Indigenous Operating System For Smartphones

BharOS is a first step towards an indigenous mobile operating system, developed by IIT Madras. It is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP).

BharOS is a new mobile operating system created by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT), with a privacy and security focus. 

A mobile operating system, such as Android by Google or iOS by Apple, is a piece of software that serves as the main user interface on a smartphone.

A free and open-source operating system (OS) intended for use in governmental and public systems is being created as part of the BharOS project, which is being supported by the Indian government. 

The project seeks to encourage the adoption of locally created technology while reducing reliance on foreign operating systems in cell phones. 

The development of an indigenous environment and an independent future represents a giant step forward.

The programme may be loaded on commercially available handsets, according to the developer, giving consumers access to a safe environment. 

Additionally, BharOS has No Default Apps (NDA), so users are not compelled to utilize programmes they may not be familiar with or inclined to distrust. 

According to the Institute, consumers would have more discretion, autonomy, and flexibility to select and utilize only the apps that suited their needs.

Based on the Linux kernel, BharOS may run on a variety of hardware, including desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. 

A non-profit company called JandK Operations Private Limited (JAndKops), which was founded at IIT Madras, created it. The project is still in development, and no timetable for release has been set.

Currently, BharOS’s default browser and messaging programme are third-party programmes like DuckDuckGo and Signal.

Organizations who need limited mobile apps and secret communications are currently provided with the BharOS operating system. These consumers require private 5G networks with access to private cloud services.