An IIT Madras-incubated firm has developed an indigenous mobile operating system called BharOS which is being provided to organisations that have stringent privacy and security requirements and where users handle sensitive information. Such users require access to private cloud services through private 5G networks.
The BharOS was developed by JandK Operations Private Limited (JandKops), which has been incubated by IIT Madras. The Foundation is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS). It aspires to put India on par with those few countries that currently possess such capabilities.
Features Of BharOS
- BharOS provides access to trusted apps from organisation-specific Private App Store Services (PASS). A PASS provides access to a curated list of apps that have been thoroughly vetted and have met certain security and privacy standards of organisations. This means users can be confident that the apps they are installing are safe to use and have been checked for any potential security vulnerabilities or privacy concerns.
- BharOS comes with No Default Apps (NDA). This means that users are not forced to use apps that they may not be familiar with or that they may not trust. Additionally, this approach allows users to have more control over the permissions that apps have on their device, as they can choose to only allow apps that they trust to access certain features or data on their device.
- BharOS offers ‘Native Over The Air’ (NOTA) updates that can help to keep the devices secure. NOTA updates are automatically downloaded and installed on the device, without the need for the user to manually initiate the process. This ensures that the device is always running the latest version of the operating system, which includes the latest security patches and bug fixes. With NDA, PASS, and NOTA, BharOS ensures that Indian mobile phones are trustworthy.
National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)
NM-ICPS will address the threat to jobs, security and strategic requirements that the new industrial revolution poses. The goal is to ensure opportunity by generating new directions and training. The areas of focus could be various Major Technologies like Big Data, Manufacturing, and Quantum Communication. Train youth at all levels, develop Incubators and start-ups in these areas and set up Top Level Challenges. Push commercialisation around innovative MSMEs and ensure diffusion of Industry 4.0 through Manufacturing and Services. Where necessary, there will be collaborations internationally.
