In the everyday machinery of government, a quiet yet transformative shift is taking place, not through more bureaucracy, but through deeper digital trust. The National Blockchain Framework (NBF), launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in September 2024 with a budget allocation of Rs 64.76 crore, is emerging as a cornerstone of India’s next-generation digital governance model.
The initiative aims to move India from a system of centralised data silos, where information is often trapped in departmental databases, to a decentralised, tamper-proof, and verifiable ecosystem built on blockchain technology. This marks a decisive transition from conventional IT infrastructure to what policymakers describe as “trust-by-design” governance.
Vishvasya blockchain stack
At the core of this framework lies the Vishvasya Blockchain Stack, India’s indigenous modular “blockchain as a service” platform developed under the National Informatics Centre (NIC). Deployed across major data centers in Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad, this infrastructure serves as the backbone for a range of blockchain-based public services.
Complementing this stack are two crucial components:
1. NBFLite: A sandbox environment that allows startups, academic institutions, and researchers to experiment and prototype blockchain-based solutions before scaling them.
2. Praamaanik: An innovative authentication tool that verifies the legitimacy of mobile applications using blockchain entries, ensuring security and traceability.
From blueprint to impact: 34 crore documents verified
Barely a year since its inception, the NBF has already logged over 34 crore verified documents as of October 21, 2025. These include educational certificates, property records, judicial documents, and logistics data, each secured through blockchain’s immutable ledger system.
What began as a policy framework has now matured into an operational reality, with adoption spanning multiple government departments and service sectors. For citizens, this translates into reduced fraud, faster document verification, and fewer intermediaries. For regulators and businesses, it ensures greater auditability, accountability, and real-time transparency.
Empowering governance, strengthening trust
The framework’s potential stretches far beyond digital efficiency. For governance, it means processes once mired in mistrust now gain resilience and traceability, making data tampering nearly impossible. For citizens, it offers instant service delivery and a reduction in bureaucratic friction. And for the economy, it opens up a blockchain innovation ecosystem, driving the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by nurturing indigenous technology solutions instead of relying on foreign platforms.
Building capacity and legal alignment
However, the path to full adoption is not without challenges. The integration of blockchain across states and ministries requires sustained capacity-building, technical expertise, and policy coordination. Moreover, India will need robust legal and regulatory frameworks to address data privacy, decentralised identity, and interoperable ledger systems.
Equally crucial is the public’s digital literacy, ensuring that citizens not only use but also understand and trust the technology that powers their daily governance interactions.
Rooted in trust and empowerment
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised that “A Digital India is an empowered India, boosting ease of living and transparency.” The NBF exemplifies that vision by embedding trust, security, and accountability directly into the digital architecture of governance.
As the framework continues to evolve, it holds the promise of creating a governance model that is prompt, verifiable, citizen-centric, and homegrown. The National Blockchain Framework is not just another technological upgrade; it represents a paradigm shift in how India builds trust in its institutions.
In the years ahead, as India continues its march toward a fully digital economy, the NBF could well be remembered as the foundation of India’s transparent, tamper-proof, and trusted governance future.
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