Bengaluru: A Canadian tech influencer who has lived in India for over eight years has triggered a lively debate on social media after questioning the logic behind calling Bengaluru the “Silicon Valley of India”. In a widely shared video, Caleb Friesen argued that such comparisons are geographically inaccurate, culturally misleading and reflective of a deeper tendency to measure India through Western benchmarks rather than celebrating its own identity.
Friesen, who frequently shares observations about life, culture and technology in India, said that branding Indian cities and destinations as replicas of foreign places strips them of their uniqueness. He urged Indians, influencers and marketers alike to stop comparing regions within the country to cities or landmarks abroad, calling it a “widespread bad habit”.
“Derivative branding dilutes identity”
In the video, Friesen pointed out that it has become common for content creators to describe Indian locations using foreign references. He cited examples such as Pondicherry being likened to Thailand or Gulmarg to Switzerland, arguing that these descriptions make Indian destinations appear as imitations rather than places with their own rich histories and cultures.
“This kind of branding makes Indian locations seem like copies,” he said, adding that it subtly implies that their value comes from resemblance to something foreign. According to Friesen, India does not need such comparisons to attract admiration or tourism, given its civilisational depth and diversity.
Questioning the “Silicon Valley of India” tag
Friesen reserved particular criticism for Bengaluru being dubbed the “Silicon Valley of India”. While acknowledging the city’s prominence as a technology and startup hub, he said the comparison itself was flawed.
“Even geographically, it doesn’t make sense,” he noted, pointing out that Silicon Valley in California is a valley, whereas Bengaluru sits on a plateau. Beyond geography, he argued that constantly referencing a US tech hub suggests an unnecessary need for validation.
He contrasted this with China, which uses original names such as Shenzhen for its technology centres rather than branding them as equivalents of American regions. “They built their own identity. They didn’t need to call it the Silicon Valley of China,” he said.
Film industry names also under fire
The influencer also criticised India’s film industries for adopting Hollywood-inspired names such as Bollywood and Tollywood. According to Friesen, these labels reflect an outdated mindset that seeks legitimacy by association with the West.
He pointed out that countries like South Korea have globally influential film and entertainment industries without referencing Hollywood in their naming. “They don’t need to,” he said, adding that Indian cinema, with its scale and reach, also does not require such validation.
Social media post sparks wider discussion
Friesen later reiterated his views in a post on X, using a familiar Bengaluru visual as an example. “Every year the pink trumpet trees bloom, and every year influencers compare the city to Japan with its sakura trees,” he wrote. “This is one example of a widespread bad habit: using derivative names or descriptions for Indian cities, landmarks, and people.”
The post resonated with many users, who echoed his call for India to “own its identity”. Several commenters linked the tendency to compare India with the West to the lingering effects of colonial rule.
One user wrote, “India was first colonised for 200 years by the British and then for 100 more years, they colonised us mentally. I am so glad I can see the changes.”
Another said, “Why would anyone want to go to a replica when they have the original? Just because a place looks like somewhere else doesn’t make it that country.”
Agreement from Indian voices
Friesen also highlighted an interaction on X involving Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal. When a user suggested that India needed a replica of American biohacker Bryan Johnson, Goyal responded that India should be its authentic self. Friesen said he wholeheartedly agreed with that sentiment.
“India doesn’t need to be compared or modelled after anything else,” he said. “It simply is.”
Conclusion
The debate sparked by Friesen’s comments goes beyond Bengaluru or branding labels. It touches on a larger question of how India presents itself to the world and to its own people. As many social media users agreed, celebrating India’s cities, industries and culture on their own terms may be a stronger statement than any comparison ever could.