National Digital Framework

The National Blockchain Framework (NBF) is a unified digital infrastructure initiative launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, on 4 September 2024. The framework provides Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) to government organizations as part of India's Digital India vision, aiming to create a decentralized, trust-based digital ecosystem for e-governance applications.

Overview

The NBF represents India's strategic initiative to leverage blockchain technology for enhancing transparency, security, and efficiency in public service delivery. With an initial budget allocation of ₹64.76 crore, the framework moves away from centralized systems prone to fraud by offering decentralized digital infrastructure. It focuses on building indigenous technological capabilities while addressing research challenges across various layers of the blockchain stack.

Technical Architecture

Vishvasya Blockchain Stack

Vishvasya (meaning "Trust" in Sanskrit) is the indigenous technology stack powering the NBF. Launched by MeitY Secretary Shri S. Krishnan on 4 September 2024, it provides:

Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform
Distributed Infrastructure: Hosted across National Informatics Centre (NIC) data centers in Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad
Modular Architecture: Components include dashboard for automated network setup, generic smart contract layer, authentication/authorization functions
Security: Fully audited across all layers with hardened blockchain platform docker images
Open APIs: For recording and querying smart contracts, managing network nodes

Physical Infrastructure

The NBF employs a geographically distributed infrastructure for high availability and fault tolerance:

East Zone: Bhubaneswar NIC Data Center
West Zone: Pune NIC Data Center
South Zone: Hyderabad NIC Data Center

This multi-zone deployment ensures resilience and enables load balancing across the network.

Core Components

NBFLite

NBFLite (National Blockchain Framework Lite) is a lightweight blockchain framework designed for:

Research and experimentation
Rapid prototyping of blockchain applications
Startups and academia support

Single node setup for Hyperledger Fabric and Hyperledger Sawtooth platforms
Pre-bundled smart contract templates for:

** Insurance
** Supply chain management
** Digital certificates
** Drug track and trace (pharmaceutical supply chain)

Sandbox environment for development without production deployment

Praamaanik

Praamaanik (meaning "Authenticator") is a mobile application verification solution that:

Verifies authenticity and origin of mobile applications using blockchain
Cryptographically matches app digital fingerprints against immutable records
Prevents distribution of fraudulent applications
Enables citizens to verify app legitimacy before download

National Blockchain Portal

A centralized hub providing:

Information repository on blockchain standards and policies
Integration resources for various blockchain applications
Documentation and implementation guidelines
Access to NBF services and APIs

Integration Capabilities

The NBF integrates with existing national digital infrastructure:

**National Digital Service Integration**
Service	Purpose	Integration Type
eSign	Legally valid digital signatures	Authentication
e-Praamaanik	User authentication	Identity verification
DigiLocker	Document storage and retrieval	Data exchange
National Blockchain API	System integration	Application interface

Application Areas

The NBF supports multiple e-governance domains:

Land Records

Secure issuance and verification of property documents
Prevention of fraudulent property transactions
Immutable record-keeping for land titles

Education

Digital issuance of academic certificates
Verification of educational credentials
Secure storage of CBSE and university records

Healthcare

Pharmaceutical supply chain management (Aushada chain in Karnataka)
Drug track and trace from manufacturer to patient
Prevention of spurious drugs in medical supply chain

Judiciary

Immutable storage of judicial documents
Digital records of bail orders and summons
Forensic applications and e-stamping

Criminal Justice

Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) chain
Secure sharing of criminal records across agencies

Key Objectives

Digital Trust: Establish verifiable trust and immutability for digital records
Transparency & Security: Enhance data integrity and accountability in public services
Interoperability: Provide open APIs for seamless integration with e-governance platforms
Scalability: Support large-scale adoption through distributed infrastructure
Indigenous Innovation: Foster development of homegrown blockchain technology
Global Leadership: Position India as a leader in blockchain implementation

Institutional Framework

**Implementation and Collaboration Framework**
Agency / Institution	Role / Contribution	Key Functions
MeitY	Policy and oversight	Regulatory support, strategic guidance, overall mission leadership
C-DAC	Primary R&D and development	Core technology stack (Vishvasya), smart contracts, NBF Lite sandbox
NIC/NICSI	Infrastructure management	BaaS hosting, network operations, distributed data center management
STQC	Quality assurance	Testing, security auditing, and certification of blockchain solutions
Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS), Chennai	Research and security	Specialized research in cybersecurity and secure electronic transactions for the framework
IDRBT (Hyderabad)	Domain expertise and research	Banking and financial sector blockchain applications, interoperability research
IIT Hyderabad	Academic research and innovation	Advanced R&D in blockchain protocols, cryptography, and scalability solutions
IIIT Hyderabad	Academic research and innovation	R&D in blockchain applications, smart contract formal verification, and decentralized systems
Digital India	Overarching program	Provides the strategic digital governance mission and ecosystem for NBF deployment

Performance Metrics

As of October 2025, the NBF has achieved:

Total documents verified: 34 crore+ (340 million+)
Property documents processed: 34 crore+
Certificate chain documents: 48,000+
Judiciary documents: 665+
ICJS documents: 39,000+
Active application chains: 5+
Geographical nodes: 3 data centers

Future Roadmap

The NBF development roadmap includes:

Expansion to additional government departments and services
Enhanced interoperability with international blockchain standards
Development of sector-specific blockchain solutions
Capacity building programs for developers and government officials
Research initiatives in blockchain scalability and security
Integration with emerging technologies like AI and IoT

Significance

The NBF represents a significant milestone in India's digital transformation journey by:

Moving from centralized to decentralized digital infrastructure
Reducing dependency on foreign blockchain technologies
Creating a foundation for trust-based digital transactions
Enabling secure and transparent governance
Fostering innovation in the Indian startup ecosystem

References

External links

Category:Blockchain Category:Digital India Category:E-governance in India Category:Government of India Category:2024 establishments in India Category:Information technology in India

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