PM Modi Ji, let's build it: Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia pitches app idea that could make India billions of dollars

Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia recently proposed a bold idea that could reshape how elections are conducted in India—and potentially become a billion-dollar global model. Posting on X, Bhatia suggested that since industries like food, banking, transport, and even relationships have all gone digital, it’s time elections followed.

“Everything has become an app—food, transport, banking, shopping, even relationships. Why not elections? It’s time the world’s largest democracy leads with a secure voting app. If ModiJi is ready, I’m ready to build it. India could export it to the world and earn billions,” Bhatia posted.

This idea not only introduces a possibility of technological disruption in the electoral process but also raises the prospect of India becoming a global leader in digital voting infrastructure.


Support for a Digital Shift

Bhatia followed up with a strong defense of the proposal, questioning, “You trust your banking app, don’t you?” and adding, “If you can trust your bank accounts to an app, you can surely trust a voting app.” Several users echoed his optimism. One described it as a “bold and forward-thinking idea,” while another called it “an amazing idea .. doable .. hope it happens asap.”

Some suggested a phased rollout, with one user proposing a “pilot for small elections and then roll out nationwide… it can be app+ real for few elections before completely shifting to app.” Others pointed out how digital verification using Aadhaar and PAN could simplify voter identity checks.

However, skepticism quickly followed. One commentator argued, “This is not a product launch. It’s institutional redesign. Voting is not delivery. It’s sacred.”

Digital literacy, particularly in rural and elderly populations, emerged as a major concern. A post pointed out, “India’s digital literacy rate is abysmal - only 37% of the population is digitally literate.” Another emphasized that an app-based system may skew turnout due to “voter behavior rooted in place, not screen.”

Infrastructure and Technical Concerns

There were concerns about the technical feasibility as well. One user noted, “App is on a smartphone. That’s the first hurdle. Then there is internet connectivity, electricity etc. Most important is how to maintain secrecy of the vote if voting is through an app.”

Security was a dominant theme among the critics. A user warned, “Anything an app storing things via any kind of network can be hacked,” while another said, “Every app can be compromised. No electronic system can ensure that the vote I have cast is the same as the vote which has been registered in the system. This one system should be paper based only.”

Business Potential vs Democratic Integrity

While many acknowledged the business angle—India developing and exporting a secure voting app—others remained wary of prioritizing profit over democratic sanctity. One post said, “I know the great business ideas of billionaires who thrive on PPP.

But this one is not quite right there.” Another user added a sarcastic remark, “Bro they teach you how to build an app on Coursera. Building an app is the easy bit. Running an election in a free, fair, transparent, trustworthy manner is the hard bit.”