The Indian government has officially launched the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack, offering Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) through a geographically distributed infrastructure. This initiative is designed to support a wide array of permissioned blockchain applications, marking a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to bolster secure and transparent digital platforms.
As part of this launch, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) also introduced several blockchain-based solutions, including the NBFLite-Lightweight Blockchain Platform, Praamaanik—a blockchain-enabled solution for verifying mobile app origins—and the National Blockchain Portal. These initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to creating reliable and secure digital platforms, which are expected to foster transparency in public service delivery.
The National Blockchain Framework (NBF), a key component of this initiative, has been developed to encourage research, promote the creation of new applications, and provide citizens with transparent and trusted digital services. The framework is designed to facilitate secure transactions and ensure that digital services remain both transparent and efficient, ultimately benefiting citizens across the country.
A Comprehensive Blockchain Architecture
The National Blockchain Framework’s technology stack is built on a multi-layered architecture that includes Distributed Infrastructure, Core Framework functionality, Smart Contracts & API Gateway, Security, Privacy & Interoperability, and Applications development. By offering Blockchain as a Service (BaaS), the framework enables developers and organizations to build applications in a secure environment.
Currently, the NBF supports two permissioned blockchain platforms and has the potential to expand further. The technology is hosted on geographically distributed infrastructure located at several National Informatics Centre (NIC) data centers in Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad, ensuring robust and reliable performance.
NBFLite: A Sandbox for Startups and Academia
In addition to the National Blockchain Framework, the government has also launched NBFLite, a blockchain sandbox platform specifically developed to support startups and academic institutions. The platform is designed for rapid prototyping of blockchain applications, facilitating research and innovation while providing an opportunity for capacity building in the blockchain domain.
NBFLite is the result of collaboration between key Indian research and technology institutions, including C-DAC, NIC, IDRBT Hyderabad, IIT Hyderabad, IIIT Hyderabad, and SETS Chennai, with support from MeitY. This initiative aims to empower innovators by providing them with the tools needed to experiment with and refine blockchain applications, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of blockchain technology development.
Strengthening Citizen Services Through Blockchain
During the launch event, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan emphasized the importance of the National Blockchain Framework in supporting the Indian government’s objective of providing trusted digital service delivery. The framework is expected to play a vital role in enhancing the security, trust, and transparency of citizen-centric applications, which will benefit individuals and businesses alike.
Krishnan also encouraged stakeholders to focus on positioning India as a global leader in blockchain technology. He highlighted the potential of blockchain to drive economic growth, social development, and digital empowerment on a global scale, suggesting that India could be a key player in the international blockchain ecosystem. He urged stakeholders to explore the possibility of expanding these solutions for worldwide adoption.
Blockchain’s Impact on Governance
MeitY Additional Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar outlined the transformative potential of blockchain technology for governance in India. He stressed that blockchain can make public services more transparent, efficient, and accountable, ultimately improving the quality of governance across various sectors.
Kumar further encouraged the scaling of applications built on the National Blockchain Framework across multiple states and departments. He also proposed exploring opportunities to onboard new applications, platforms, and innovative components onto the NBF stack, which could accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology across the country.
Addressing Key Challenges with Blockchain
Sunita Verma, Group Coordinator for R&D in Electronics and IT at MeitY, explained that the primary goal of the National Blockchain Framework is to address several challenges currently facing the blockchain sector. These include the need for skilled manpower to develop blockchain-based applications, issues related to vendor lock-in, and research challenges surrounding security, interoperability, and performance.
Verma added that the framework is designed to be extensible, ensuring that it can evolve to meet the changing needs of the blockchain industry. The initiative is also aimed at fostering collaboration between government organizations and research institutions to drive innovation in the blockchain space.
A Collaborative Effort to Advance Blockchain Research
C-DAC Director General Magesh E underscored that the National Blockchain Framework is a consortium-led effort aimed at addressing research challenges and harnessing the benefits of blockchain technology for public service applications. He noted that the framework has already generated several patents and research publications, demonstrating its contribution to the global blockchain knowledge base.
P R Lakshmi Eswari, Centre Head at C-DAC Hyderabad, provided further technical insights into the framework, highlighting the key features of the National Blockchain Framework. She also discussed the development of Praamaanik, a blockchain-enabled solution for verifying the origin of mobile applications, which is part of the broader effort to improve transparency and security in the digital ecosystem.
Conclusion: A Step Towards Global Blockchain Leadership
With the launch of the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack and the National Blockchain Framework, India is positioning itself as a leader in blockchain innovation. By developing a comprehensive framework that addresses critical challenges in the blockchain sector, the government aims to foster greater transparency, security, and trust in digital services. As these initiatives continue to scale, India could become a key player in the global blockchain ecosystem, driving both economic growth and digital empowerment.