According to recent reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has unveiled the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge, a strategic endeavor aimed at fostering the creation of domestically crafted web browsers that will vie for recognition alongside global giants like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

The primary thrust of this initiative is to fashion a native web browser with a global reach, notably featuring an integrated Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) India root certificate. Arvind Kumar, the Controller of Certifying Authorities, launched this innovative competition in New Delhi, underscoring its pivotal role as India sets out on a fresh trajectory to establish its very own web browser.

Kumar emphasized the imperative for India, as the world's fastest-growing economy, to pivot away from reliance on international browsers and foreign technologies. The proposed browser, designed in accordance with international benchmarks, holds the promise of bolstering data security and privacy.

S D Sudarshan, Executive Director of C-DAC, lauded the launch, expressing confidence that the open nature of this challenge will yield optimal outcomes. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has taken the helm of this open Challenge Competition, designed to stimulate the design and development of an indigenous Indian Web Browser. This browser, set to cater to major devices and platforms, will incorporate critical security features, plugin interfaces, and the latest industry-standard technologies.

To incentivize participation, the government has allocated a substantial cash prize of 3.4 crore rupees for developers who succeed in crafting an indigenous browser. As stipulated by the Ministry, this browser must extend trust to India's Controller of Certifying Authorities, the apex body for digital signatures in the nation.

Eligibility criteria encompass Indian Tech startups, MSMEs, Companies, and LLPs registered under the Companies Act 2013. Entities applying must boast a minimum of 51 percent shareholding held by Indian citizens or individuals of Indian origin, and importantly, should not operate as subsidiaries of foreign corporations.

As per reports from Moneycontrol, this initiative is viewed as a strategic lever for enhancing India's negotiation position with prominent US-based browsers like Google and Mozilla Firefox. The goal is to encourage the integration of the nation's web security certification authority into these browsers' 'trust stores'.

In the expansive landscape of India's internet domain, which boasts a staggering 850 million users, Google Chrome reigns supreme, commanding a formidable 88.47 percent market share as per Similarweb data. Safari follows with a 5.22 percent share, trailed by Microsoft Edge at 2 percent, Samsung Internet at 1.5 percent, Mozilla Firefox at 1.28 percent, and other players collectively accounting for 1.53 percent.

The government envisions the development and introduction of homegrown web browsers to conclude by the close of 2024. Domestic startups, academic institutions, and corporations are cordially invited to engage in this program, with committed support pledged to the chosen proposals throughout the developmental journey.

An additional government representative stated, “The government will also play a role in facilitating the acceptance of domestic web browsers. These browsers should not only adhere to Web3 standards and facilitate digital signatures through cryptographic tokens but should also integrate native features such as support for Indian languages.”

Image source: Money Control