India’s Own Internet Browser Soon? Ashwini Vaishnaw Calls for a ‘Product Nation’

The next major internet browser should be developed in India, said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw , underscoring India's leading position in the global service-based economy and how it can be leveraged to create a product-based economy. Announcing the winners of the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge, Vaishnaw said, “We have been a great service country, now we need to become a product nation also. An industry that must continue to grow, but simultaneously we must now also become a product nation.”

The minister highlighted that a locally developed internet browser will ensure the data security and privacy of its users, citing global cybersecurity and cyber-espionage concerns. He said the winners of the challenge will be instrumental in the development of the browser, which will be compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows platforms. It will counter the likes of Google Chrome — the leader in the browser market with a share of over 66 per cent, Apple Safari — the second-largest browser with a share of 17.99 per cent, Microsoft Edge — which holds a 5.33 per cent share, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera.

Describing his vision for a product-focused economy in India, Vaishnaw said that the road to becoming a “product nation” will involve both software and hardware products, with challenges like the one for browser development being a step in that journey. “And within hardware, analogue products and digital networks,” he added.

Adding to Vaishnaw's statement, S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said, “…we need to ensure it [internet] is resilient and secure, particularly in financial transactions and other key digital interactions," stressing the need for an indigenous browser. “The question is not why we need an Indian browser 30 years after the first ones were built, but why don't already have one that ensures security, resilience, and reliability for Indian users.”

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