No! 'Namaste' is not Indian government's answer to Zoom
A few hours ago, multiple reports suggested that the Indian government has launched a video-conferencing service called 'Namaste' to help people replace Zoom, a virtual meeting app it recently declared 'unsafe'. The tool immediately started getting attention from people in need of video calling platforms, but according to the government, 'Namaste' is not its in-house solution for the public. Here are more details.
Debunking reports around 'Namaste' app
After the reports of the beta launch of 'Namaste' started getting traction, the official Twitter account of MyGov, the government's citizen platform, shared a tweet refuting those claims. "A news saying that the Government has launched a video conferencing tool 'NAMASTE' to take on 'unsafe' Zoom is FAKE! Don't believe such misinformation! Stay Informed, Stay Safe!," the message from the platform stated.
A challenge running for video-conferencing app development
In the same post, officials noted that the Indian government has, however, launched an "innovation challenge" calling industry experts to develop a 'Made in India' video-conferencing app. The prize money for the winner of the contest is Rs. 1 crore, along with certification from the Minister of Electronics and IT, and an annual support of Rs. 10 lakh to maintain and advance the solution.
Here is the government's clarification
So, what about the 'Namaste' app?
As for 'Namaste', the tool appears to have been developed by a Mumbai-based company Inscripts. It is still in web beta and works by letting a user start a call and sharing the meeting URL or the meeting ID and code with all the participants. However, there is no mobile app of the service and the maximum number of supported participants is not clear.
No word on security protections
Even though 'Namaste' looks like a home-grown private solution for video-conferencing, there is no clarity on the protections it has for keeping meetings secure. Plus, it is in beta (and unstable). This basically means you can not use 'Namaste' as a secure alternative to Zoom, at least not until we have more information about the app and its internal working.
