From prototype to product: Indigenous Indian web browser gets a push

India is preparing to roll out an indigenous Indian web browser, with three homegrown projects selected for productisation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC). The development marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to build digital self-reliance and strengthen cybersecurity in an era of growing global concerns around data privacy and digital sovereignty.

Announced on 20 March by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, the three selected projects—submitted by Zoho Corporation, Team PING, and Team Ajna—were chosen from among 434 entries after a multi-stage national competition managed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, C-DAC Bangalore. These projects will now move to the productisation phase, paving the way for a browser that meets India’s security, language, and usability needs.

The upcoming browser will be compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows platforms and is intended to offer a secure, India-specific alternative to globally dominant browsers such as Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera. Chrome currently holds over 66% of the global market share, followed by Safari at nearly 18%, making Indigenous alternatives critical for controlling digital infrastructure.

Vaishnaw highlighted that a locally developed browser would not only protect user data by keeping it within national borders but also guard against cyber espionage and global cybersecurity threats. He described the browser as the first step in building a broader Indian digital stack, reinforcing his vision of transitioning India from a service-driven technology economy to a product-focused innovation hub. 

“The road to becoming a ‘product nation’ will involve both software and hardware products, and challenges like the one for browser development are essential to that journey,” he said. The minister added that hardware innovations must include analogue products and digital networks to complete the ecosystem.

Global Push for Indigenous Browsers

India’s push to develop its own web browser aligns with a growing global movement where countries are investing in indigenous technologies to safeguard their digital infrastructure. Several nations have already built or promoted locally developed browsers to address national security concerns, protect user data, and support local languages and services.

Russia has developed multiple browsers, including the widely used Yandex Browser, tailored for Russian-language users and integrated with domestic search and email services. Similarly, Sputnik was a browser and search engine owned by Rostelecom, the Russian state-owned telecommunications company. It offered filtered content suitable for family and official use, in line with national policies. However, with Yandex gaining popularity, Rostelecom had to shut down this browser-cum-search engine in 2020.

China leads with several indigenous browsers such as Sogou Explorer, 360 Secure Browser, QQ Browser, and UC Browser—each optimised for Chinese networks, character input, and access to local apps and content. Some of these also feature dual rendering engines to support legacy websites and services unique to China’s digital environment.

South Korea has promoted its own platforms like Naver Whale, developed by the country's largest internet portal, offering innovative features such as split-screen browsing and integration with Korean services. The now-defunct Swing Browser was also notable for supporting ActiveX controls used on government and banking sites.

In Vietnam, Cốc Cốc has emerged as a popular Chromium-based browser with support for Vietnamese script, auto-diacritics, and access to local media, making it a strong local alternative to global giants. Similarly, Iran developed the Saina browser to work within its National Information Network, enabling secure domestic browsing in Farsi and enforcing national content policies. 

North Korea, operating within a restricted internet regime, uses Naenara, a Firefox-based browser that provides access only to approved intranet content in the Korean language.

Even in regions not typically associated with tech product development, such as Malaysia, niche offerings like SalamWeb were created to serve specific user groups—in this case, offering a Sharia-compliant browsing experience in languages like Arabic, Urdu, and Bahasa. However, the browser has now been discontinued with Malaysian startup Salam Web Technologies that launched it becoming defunct. 

These global efforts underscore the growing recognition that control over browser technology—once considered a commodity layer—is increasingly central to ensuring national cybersecurity, preserving digital culture, and asserting technological independence.

The Made-in-India Browser Plan

The indigenous browser is being designed to fully comply with World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards, include a dedicated trust store with an inbuilt CCA India Root Certificate, and support the digital signing of documents using crypto tokens. It will support all 22 official Indian languages, offer accessibility features, and provide advanced parental controls and child-safe browsing modes. Web3 functionality for decentralised applications will also be integrated.

Speaking at the event, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan underlined the broader rationale for building such a product. “We need to ensure the Internet is resilient and secure, particularly in financial transactions and other key digital interactions,” he said. “The question is not why we need an Indian browser 30 years after the first ones were built, but why we don’t already have one that ensures security, resilience, and reliability for Indian users.”

The IWBDC was structured across three stages—Ideation, Prototype, and Productisation—and entries were evaluated by a jury comprising experts from government, academia, and industry. Jio Vishwakarma received a special mention for its multi-platform browser design, reflecting the depth of innovation across the entries.

The government believes the productisation of these three selected projects will enable faster development of a secure, accessible, and reliable Indian browser, which can eventually become the foundation for an entire suite of indigenous digital tools tailored to the country’s needs.