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• The Indian government’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack, NBFLite-Lightweight Blockchain Platform, Praamaanik, and the National Blockchain Portal. 
• MeitY introduced the National Blockchain Framework to promote research, application development, and secure digital service delivery. 
• The framework includes a technology stack with distributed infrastructure, core functionality, smart contracts, and security features, hosted across multiple data centers in India.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, recently launched the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack to offer Blockchain-as-a-Service with a geographically distributed infrastructure designed to support various permissioned Blockchain-based applications.

Additionally, the Secretary, MeitY also unveiled the NBFLite-Lightweight Blockchain Platform, Praamaanik – an innovative blockchain-enabled solution for verifying mobile app origin and National Blockchain Portal.

National Blockchain Framework to Enhance Digital Trust and Service Delivery

MeitY, with the vision to create trusted digital platforms, initiated the National Blockchain Framework (NBF) for promoting research and application development; facilitating state-of-the-art, transparent, secure, and trusted digital service delivery to citizens. 

The National Blockchain Framework technology stack is architected with Distributed Infrastructure, Core Framework functionality, Smart Contracts & API Gateway, Security, Privacy & Interoperability, and Applications development offering Blockchain as a Service (BaaS). 

NBF currently supports two permissioned blockchain platforms and is extensible. The Technology Stack is hosted on geographically distributed infrastructure at NIC Data centers i.e. Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad.

Blockchain Sandbox for Startups and Academia

NBFLite, a Blockchain sandbox platform, has been developed especially for startups/academia to rapidly prototype applications, carry out research, and build capacity. These technologies have been developed by collaborating efforts of C-DAC, NIC, IDRBT Hyderabad, IIT Hyderabad, IIIT Hyderabad, and SETS Chennai under the MeitY support.

National Blockchain Framework to Boost Security and Transparency for Citizens

During the launch, Shri S Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY expressed that as part of the efforts of the Government of India to provide trusted digital service delivery, the National Blockchain Framework would play an important role in enabling security, trust, and transparency for various citizen-centric applications. 

He also highlighted that the stakeholders should aim to position India as a global leader in blockchain technology and proliferate the developed solutions for global adoption, leveraging them to drive economic growth, social development, and digital empowerment. 

Blockchain’s Role in Transforming Governance

Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary, MeitY, highlighted that Blockchain technology holds immense potential for transforming governance in India by making public services more transparent, efficient, and accountable. He stressed the need for scaling the applications on NBF across various states & departments and also suggested exploring onboarding new applications/ platforms/ innovative components on the NBF stack.

NBF’s Goals for Addressing Challenges

Smt Sunita Verma, Scientist G and Group Coordinator, R&D in Electronics & IT, MeitY mentioned that the objective of initiating NBF is to develop an extensible framework with Blockchain technology stack on distributed infrastructure towards addressing the challenges such as the need for skilled manpower towards building Blockchain-based applications, vendor lock-in and research challenges related to security, interoperability, performance and other aspects.

Shri. Magesh E, Director General, C-DAC, mentioned that the NBF is a consortium mode effort towards addressing research challenges and harnessing the benefits of the technology to develop applications in association with Government organizations. A number of patents and research publications are generated as part of this initiative.

Ms. P R Lakshmi Eswari Centre Head, CDAC Hyderabad briefed about the various technical features of the National Blockchain Framework and explained about Praamaanik- Blockchain enabled solution for verifying mobile app origin.