In a spirited move echoing its “Aatmanirbharta” (self-reliance) mantra, India is championing the creation of homegrown web browsers, setting sights on global leaders like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. With a generous grant pool exceeding ₹3 crore, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is spearheading this initiative.

What Happened? An official passionately told MoneyControl that as we stride towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, it’s pivotal for us to steer our digital course. We must not rely on foreign browsers, especially when our citizens’ security is at risk. Our digital tools should genuinely embody self-reliance.

This initiative isn’t just about innovation; it’s strategic. The government aims to persuade US browser behemoths like Google to recognize India’s web security certifications in their ‘trust stores’ – a curated list of trusted certification authorities. Notably, popular browsers currently overlook India’s official certification agency.

Browser wars: With a sprawling internet populace of nearly 850 million, Google Chrome reigns supreme in India, capturing a whopping 88.47% market share. Yet, by 2024, the government envisions a vibrant ecosystem of Indian browsers. Invitations are out to startups, academia, and corporations to join this digital revolution.

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