Important Facts For Prelims
Government Instant Messaging System
- 16 Dec 2019
- 2 min read
Why in News
Government Instant Messaging System (GIMS) is a prototype of an Indian equivalent of popular messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp and Telegram for secure internal use.
- GIMS seeks to replace existing platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal which are being used by a majority of government departments and organisations.
- It will be used by employees of Central and state government departments and organisations for secure intra and inter organisation communications.
- It employs end-to-end encryption for one-to-one messaging.
- The server hosting GIMS is installed within the country and the information stored would be in the government-based cloud — NIC-operated data centres that are only meant for use by the government and its departments.
- GIMS Portal will administer and monitor the working of an app.
- Besides, one-to-one messaging and group messaging, it also provides for documents and media sharing in keeping with the hierarchies in the government system.
- GIMS is designed and developed by the Kerala unit of National Informatics Centre (NIC).
- The launch of the new app comes after the recent controversy over the WhatsApp breach of some Indian users’ mobile devices due to Pegasus.
