NLSIU Releases Report on ‘The Rise of FOSS in India’

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, had undertaken a research project on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in India, funded by the Samagata Foundation. The research culminated in a report titled, “The Rise of FOSS in India: Empirical Evidence and Insights from Cross-Sectoral Case Studies.”

The report was launched officially at the “Round Table on FOSS in India,” jointly organised by National Law School of India University; Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi (IIIT-Delhi); and FOSS United on July 11, 2025.

Mr. Abhishek Singh, Director General, National Informatics Centre (NIC), and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, delivered the keynote address via a video message.

About the report

The report analyses the adoption of FOSS in India, primarily through case studies across four sectors (healthcare, education, finance, and software and IT services) and different types of organisations (start-ups, non-profits, medium, large, and public sector organisations). The study highlights both the benefits and challenges experienced by organisations using FOSS. The study illustrates that while organisations benefit from increased innovations, cost/ time savings, flexibility, and enhanced security, they also face challenges such as lack of enough skilled personnel and limited community support. Organisations are also seen taking a cautious approach to licensing, favouring permissive licenses over restrictive ones. Based on the diverse empirical findings, the report also recommends some policy reforms including mandating FOSS adoption for government bodies, integrating FOSS in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education, and updating procurement guidelines to mandate FOSS solutions when they are available.

Glimpses from the Sessions