The Indian Tech Trends of 2020

A decade ago, a conflict at the Indo-China border would have hardly raised any alarms in India’s fledgling startup ecosystem, which is mostly nested inland. But in June, when Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed in Galwan Valley, the disputed Himalayan border area — leaving at least 20 Indian soldiers dead with China yet to confirm its number — the ripples were felt everywhere from Bengaluru to Gurugram.

Such is the world of global trade. Chinese tech companies and venture capital have made deep inroads into the Indian market over the past few years. Growing tensions between the two countries did not play out well for either. In many ways, 2020 is the year India, so far an open market, was shuttered for China.

Had the ongoing pandemic not forced so many other changes, shifts caused by the Indo-China conflict would have been the biggest tech trend this year. The pandemic forced people indoors and devastated the Indian economy, but also led to more digital adoption across the board — richly rewarding several tech companies. As we draw to a close of the year, here’s a look at the top trends shaping India’s startup-tech ecosystem.