India plans to use crypto tokens in upcoming native web browser

Feature is envisaged in the project of national web browser, cherished by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.

The citizens of India might get an option to sign documents digitally through crypto tokens. Such feature is envisaged in the project of national web browser, cherished by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).

On August 9 MeitY announced the launch of Indian web browser Development Challenge. The Ministry hopes to “inspire and empower” developers from all corners of the country to create an indigenous web browser withan inbuilt CCA India root certificate. According to the release:

“Proposed browser would also focus on accessibility and user friendliness, ensuring built-in support for individuals with diverse abilities.”

Emphasized separately is the ability to digitally sign documents using a crypto token, which would be embedded into the browser. 

The competition will last three rounds — after the first one the scope of participants would be limited to 18, after the second one to 8. The winner would be granted around 34 million Indian rupees ($411,000).

Related: Indian Supreme Court raps Union government on crypto rules delay. Report

Indian government has been active in its regulatory efforts in the recent months, especially in regard to tech and crypto. Presiding at the intergovernmental forum of 20 largest world economies (G-20), it has supported the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) recommendations for a global crypto framework and called for special attention to developing economies’ specifics in its potential guidelines for crypto.

In August, The lower house of India’s parliament voted in approval of a bill that would ease data compliance regulations for Big Tech companies. The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023 would simplify storage, processing and transfer standards for r global tech giants like Google, Meta and Microsoft, as well as for local firms.

Magazine: ‘Elegant and ass-backward’. Jameson Lopp’s first impression of Bitcoin