India's Digital Future Relies on Open and Secure Internet Framework
India's remarkable digital transformation journey is fundamentally anchored in the principles of an open, secure, and inclusive internet, according to IT Secretary S Krishnan. Speaking about the nation's digital infrastructure vision, Krishnan emphasized that the internet has evolved from an unregulated growth phase to becoming a critical component of national network infrastructure that requires careful stewardship.
Multistakeholder Governance and Global Leadership
Krishnan highlighted India's firm commitment to the multistakeholder model of internet governance, which involves collaboration between governments, private sector entities, technical communities, and civil society organizations. This approach, he noted, is essential for developing policy frameworks that simultaneously foster innovation, promote inclusion, and build trust within the global internet ecosystem.
"India believes in an open, resilient and inclusive internet," Krishnan stated, adding that "it is in everybody's interest to see it works effectively and does not cause significant harm." This philosophy underpins India's hosting of the upcoming ICANN85 Community Forum in Mumbai from March 7-12, 2026, an event that underscores the country's growing leadership in global internet governance discussions.
Building Digital Trust Through Domain Initiatives
The IT Ministry has been actively encouraging organizations, particularly official entities and financial institutions, to adopt the 'dot in' domain extension as part of a broader strategy to enhance digital trust and security. According to Krishnan, this conscious push aims to establish greater confidence in Indian domains through more robust Know Your Customer (KYC) verification regimes.
"We want to build trust in Indian domains, and we will build that trust by having a more robust KYC regime for these domains," Krishnan explained. This initiative has already resulted in approximately 3.85 million 'dot in' domain names being issued, with more expected to follow as digital adoption continues to accelerate across the country.
ICANN85: A Crucial Gathering for Internet's Future
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will convene its 85th public meeting in Mumbai, hosted by the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). This gathering occurs at a particularly significant moment, just before the launch of the next application round for the New gTLD Program in April 2026.
The New gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain) Program represents the next expansion of the Domain Name System, offering organizations worldwide the opportunity to apply for new top-level domains tailored to their specific needs, communities, languages, and cultural contexts. This initiative aligns with ICANN's 2030 vision of strengthening a single, globally interoperable internet accessible to all users.
India's Strategic Position in Global Internet Governance
With over one billion internet users and a rapidly expanding digital economy, India provides an ideal setting for global stakeholders to collaborate on technical work that ensures the internet's secure and stable operation. The ICANN85 Community Forum marks the first ICANN Public Meeting since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the WSIS 20 Outcomes Document in December 2025.
The World Summit on the Information Society: 20-year review reaffirmed that the internet represents a shared global resource whose stability, openness, and interoperability depend on multistakeholder approaches—a position strongly endorsed by both ICANN and the Government of India.
"Ten years after the ICANN Public Meeting in Hyderabad, the ICANN85 Community Forum in Mumbai offers the Indian Internet community an excellent opportunity to attend and participate in the global dialogue on important Internet governance issues," said Samiran Gupta, ICANN Vice President for Stakeholder Engagement and Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region.
This multilingual internet framework enables people worldwide to access the digital realm using their native languages and scripts, mirroring the Indian government's inclusive approach to digital development. As India continues to shape its digital future, these governance principles and international collaborations will play a pivotal role in ensuring that technological advancement benefits all citizens while maintaining security and trust across the digital ecosystem.
