National Digital Framework
| NBFLogo National Blockchain Framework | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 4 September 2024 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of India |
| Headquarters | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, New Delhi |
| Annual budget | ₹64.76 crore (US$9.0 million) |
| Ministers responsible |
|
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent department | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology |
| Child agencies | |
| Website | cdacchain |
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 a dashboard for automated network setup, a 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
Powered by the Vishvasya stack, NBFLite supports:
- 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:
| 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 the 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
| 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
See also
References
- ↑ "NBF Lite Architecture Flow". cdacchain.in. C-DAC.
External links
- Official NBF Portal - Ministry of Electronics and IT
- Press Information Bureau Release - NBF Launch
- C-DAC Blockchain Initiatives
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