Key takeaways:
- Indian citizens may be able to digitally sign documents using crypto tokens.
- The contest will have three rounds, with a cap of 18 competitors in the first round and eight competitors after that.
In the near future, Indian citizens may be able to digitally sign documents using crypto tokens. The objective, directed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is to develop a national web browser, and the capability is intended as a part of that effort.
On August 9, the ministry made public the beginning of the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge, which aims to “inspire and empower” programmers from all throughout the nation to develop a homegrown web browser with an integrated Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) India root certificate. The press announcement states:
“Proposed browser would also focus on accessibility and user friendliness, ensuring built-in support for individuals with diverse abilities.”
The announcement mentions employing a browser-embedded crypto token for digitally signing documents.
The contest will have three rounds, with a cap of 18 competitors in the first round and eight competitors after that. The winner will receive about 34 million Indian rupees ($411,000) in total prize money.
Despite taxing cryptocurrency and placing it under international anti-money laundering guidelines, the Indian finance ministry has not yet decided whether it will legalize or outright outlaw it.
In recent months, the Indian government has enforced regulations, particularly in the tech and cryptocurrency sectors. While chair of the G20, an intergovernmental gathering of the 20 largest economies in the world, it supported the Financial Stability Board’s recommendations for a worldwide crypto framework and advocated that developing nations receive special consideration in future crypto regulations.
A bill to slash the requirements for Big Tech corporations to comply with data privacy laws was approved by the lower house of the Indian government in August. The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023 would streamline storage, processing, and transfer procedures for local businesses and international internet giants like Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
