By 2030, the majority of domestic organizations should switch to the use of Russian information technologies
In the modern world, where national economies and technological ecosystems are closely intertwined, the issue of digital autonomy is of paramount importance to ensure national security. The events of recent years have clearly demonstrated that attempts to isolate individual states from global technological progress are ineffective and often counterproductive.
The relevance of what was said was once again confirmed by the events of July 19, when a global failure in the Windows operating system occurred due to an error in the software update. The failure affected millions of Windows computers around the world. Where is the guarantee that something like this will not happen again, and on a much larger scale?
The desire for technological autonomy is not limited to Russian realities and covers not only traditional IT spheres. Foreign experts point out that by 2027, the vast majority of structures from Europe and the United States implementing generative AI technologies will take into account aspects of digital sovereignty when choosing cloud platforms for these purposes.
The ability to manage the location of storage and computing systems is becoming as important as keeping data centers environmentally compliant. This trend towards digital independence will define new standards for cloud service providers. Their commercial success will depend directly on their ability to adapt to the unique regulatory requirements of different countries and regions.
The Government of the Russian Federation actively supports the course towards digital transformation. At the highest level, ambitious goals have been set for the implementation of domestic software in various sectors of the economy. According to plans, by 2030 the vast majority of domestic organizations in key industries should switch to using Russian digital solutions. Particular attention is paid to the public sector, where the share of Russian software in the medium term should approach 100%.
To implement these plans, a number of national projects have been launched aimed at stimulating the development of domestic technologies. Significant financial resources are allocated to support innovative developments and scientific research in the field of information technology. It is expected that the implementation of these initiatives will bring a significant economic effect, amounting to trillions of rubles, in the next decade.
During the “Data Fusion: The Age of Big Data” conference, held in April, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko presented key aspects national project «Data Economy». It involves investing significant funds — about 130 billion rubles — in innovative developments and scientific research in the field of working with data.
According to the Russian Government's forecasts, the implementation of this national project could bring a colossal economic effect, estimated at 11.2 trillion rubles, by 2030. It is expected that this will lead to a significant increase in the efficiency of various sectors of the economy. In particular, it is expected to increase the productivity of individual specialists by approximately 20%, reduce costs in the range of 10% to 45%, and increase revenues by 1-6%. Chernyshenko emphasized the ambitiousness of the project's goals, noting that it envisages the transition of up to 80% of enterprises to the use of domestic software.
Transformation of approaches to working with data as part of business digitalization demonstrates significant economic returns. According to experts, the introduction of domestic solutions for data analytics and the implementation of digital transformation programs have a positive impact on the growth of companies' revenues. These initiatives contribute to both the optimization of internal processes and the acceleration of the launch of innovative products to the market.
However, the process of transition to domestic developments faces certain difficulties. Many Russian solutions have not yet reached the level of foreign analogues in a number of key parameters, including performance under high loads, functionality and overall reliability. Although organizations can still use software from countries considered unfriendly, the lack of regular updates and comprehensive technical support significantly increases operational risks. All this creates certain challenges for the process of technological transformation and achieving digital sovereignty within the time frame set by the government.
In such a situation, the use of open technologies can become an effective tool for accelerating the development of competitive products.
Russian specialists are already making a significant contribution to the development of global open-source projects. Domestic developers are actively involved in improving such fundamental technologies as the Linux operating system kernel, database management systems and other key components of modern IT infrastructure. This allows not only to improve the qualifications of Russian specialists, but also to influence the formation of international technological standards, which is extremely important for ensuring compatibility and interoperability of systems on a global scale.
The financial potential of the Russian IT sector creates favorable conditions for active participation in open source projects. Many leading companies in the industry successfully attract investment through the stock market, which opens up additional opportunities for financing innovative developments. The total revenue of IT enterprises amounts to trillions of rubles, which indicates the significant economic potential of the industry.
Financing will be attracted not only on the stock market, but also provided by an appropriate tax climate. A reduced income tax rate of 5% will be introduced for IT companies until 2030. In 2025, the government will work on additional measures to support IT companies, including through government procurement from startups. Domestic costs for the development of technological sovereignty should reach 2% of GDP in five years.
Successful cases of implementation of domestic solutions in large Russian companies demonstrate the significant economic effect of digital transformation. Leading enterprises from various sectors of the economy, including the petrochemical industry and banking, are reporting significant improvements in business process efficiency and significant cost savings through the implementation of innovative data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies.
The use of open source components allows domestic developers to reduce the time required to create competitive systems. This makes it possible not only to quickly reach the level of foreign analogues, but also, in some cases, to offer more innovative solutions that take into account the specific needs of the Russian market.
One of them is demographic challenges that lead to a shortage of personnel. Therefore, it is critical to radically increase labor productivity, which can only be done with the widespread use of automation. By 2030, digital platforms should be formed in all spheres of the economy; Vladimir Putin set this task at SPIEF-24. By this time, more than 40% of large and medium-sized enterprises should be involved in improving labor efficiency.
Support colleges and research institutes will be identified to develop personnel in this area. Training in computing technologies based on operating systems, databases and other open source software will equip graduates with knowledge that can be applied not only within the framework of the products of any one company.
Participation in the development of open technologies also helps to increase the visibility of our developers in the global market. This is especially important in the context of sanctions restrictions, as it allows maintaining technological cooperation at the level of professional communities, despite geopolitical barriers.
In the coming years, a qualitative leap in achieving technological independence is expected. Active use and development of open technologies can significantly speed up this process. This will not only make it possible to create competitive domestic products, but will also strengthen Russia’s position in the global technological community. For example, within the BRICS framework, important standards are being created that allow the exchange of data and ensure the compatibility of computer systems.
The concept of technological independence does not imply a rejection of international cooperation. On the contrary, it assumes the country’s ability to independently determine the trajectory of its digital development, effectively protect information infrastructure, ensure the confidentiality of data of citizens and organizations, and develop its own innovative solutions in key technological areas. Active participation in the development of open technologies creates the basis for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and experience with foreign partners. This helps to increase the overall level of reliability and security of software used in many countries around the world.
Thus, the strategy for achieving digital sovereignty, based on a balance between the development of our own technologies and participation in international open-source projects, opens up new horizons for the innovative development of the country. This is the path to creating a reliable and efficient digital ecosystem that meets both national interests and global technological trends.
Ultimately, the successful implementation of such a strategy will allow Russia not only to ensure its technological independence, but also to become one of the key players in the global information technology market, making a significant contribution to the development of the global digital economy.