The requirement to pre-install Russian programs on devices sold in the Russian Federation is presented as a practical measure to support domestic software developers and strengthen the national IT sector. This perspective was conveyed to socialbites.ca by Andrey Vorobyov, who directs the .RU/.РФ domains coordination center and serves as an expert at the Regional Public Center for Internet Technologies (ROCIT).
According to the expert, mandating pre-installation of software on technical devices within the context of import substitution is described as a beneficial form of government protectionism.
“Many countries around the world implement similar practices. Russians are no exception. The discussion has shifted toward ensuring non-discriminatory access, and with import substitution in mind, priority access to developments by domestic programmers is deemed necessary. It is important to support the growth of local IT companies,” notes the expert.
Vorobyov argues that Russia hosts a substantial pool of high-quality, convenient IT solutions that stand up to foreign offerings in every measure.
“Local solutions are not as visible as international brands; global players have promoted their products for years. Yet the software recently adopted by Russians is not inferior to foreign analogues and is being developed rapidly. Those already on the market have earned a solid track record,” the expert observes.
It is worth recalling that the law mandating pre-installation of Russian programs on smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs sold in Russia took effect in April 2021.
Since 2023, devices running iOS and Android have been required to include Yandex, Yandex Browser, Yandex Maps, 2GIS, VK, Mail.ru Mail, Gosuslugi, and other services by default.
From this year, the RuStore, the Russian app store, is expected to come pre-installed on devices with the Aurora operating system in the native ecosystem.
Currently, manufacturers bear responsibility for the preliminary pre-installation of Russian software. Looking ahead, there is potential for retailers to be compelled to pre-install the Russian operating system on all laptops and personal computers supplied to the Russian market. A similar policy is being considered for smartphones, signaling a broader shift toward platform standardization across devices.