The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has honored Team Ajna as the Second Runner-Up at the prestigious Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC). The program, under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, was designed to encourage innovation towards developing a secure and robust web browser specific to India's digital requirements.

Out of 434 teams from across the country, Ajna, a 2023 startup, was exceptional in its technical capabilities and innovations, for which it received a cash prize of 5 million. This award honors their outstanding contribution towards India's digital sovereignty and secure browsing environment.

Ajna's Bharat Web Navigator is the first browser in the world to be non-custodial Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)-enabled. This allows users to control their digital identity securely on their own.

Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the winners at an event in New Delhi, highlighting the government's vision of taking India from a "service nation" to a "product nation" via indigenous digital solutions. Ajna's privacy-compliant and secure browser fits this vision and supports India's drive toward digital sovereignty.

Ajna Inc. Founder Vinay Singh showed his excitement by saying, "This acknowledgement further solidifies our mission of offering a secure, India-first internet experience. We are excited to help drive the country towards digital self-sufficiency and look forward to honing our product for mainstream use."

Vinay also highlighted the importance of an indigenous browser, saying, "International browsers tend to ignore requests from Indian authorities to block some sites. An Indian-developed browser would ensure greater compliance with local laws and provide important support from Indian authorities. In situations where global technology giants block Indian users from accessing their services, having a self-sufficient, locally developed browser would provide digital independence and resilience."

Bharat Web Navigator comes with higher-level security features, compatibility across multiple platforms (iOS, Windows, and Android), a trust store with CCA India Root certification, and parental control for child-safe browsing.