Dr Satya N. Gupta, Chairman, Blockchain for Productivity Forum; Professor of Practice, South Asian University; Chairman, Bharat IPv6 Forum

The convergence of blockchain technology, new internet, IPv6 and optical fibre transport holds immense potential for creating a universal public phygital (a combination of physical and digital) infrastructure, which will be open, accessible, secured, accountable and affordable. The underlying attributes of these emerging technologies, synergising with the existing optical fibre network, are as follows:

Decentralisation and security: Blockchain technology is built on the principles of decentralisation, cryptographic security and consensus-based trust building. Integrating blockchain with IPv6, which enables secured peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, could help create a more secure and decentralised and trusted internet infrastructure. Each device connected to the IPv6-enabled network could have a unique blockchain-based identity that is tamper-proof and verifiable, significantly enhancing security by reducing the risks of unauthorised access and cyberattacks.

  • Decentralised domain name system (DNS): The DNS could be decentralised using blockchain. Traditional DNS is vulnerable to attacks and censorship. By incorporating blockchain’s consensus mechanism, DNS records could be stored on a distributed ledger, reducing the central points of failure and making the system faster and more resilient.
  • Secure data transmission: The integration of blockchain with IPv6 will also enable secure P2P communication and data transmission. Blockchain’s encryption capabilities could be used to ensure that data sent between devices remains private and tamper-proof, enhancing privacy while eliminating the need for centralised intermediaries.
  • Internet of things (IoT): IoT would also benefit from the convergence of blockchain and IPv6. IPv6’s vast address space can accommodate the growing number of IoT devices, and blockchain’s transparency and immutability can drive innovative applications of industrial internet.
  • Decentralised applications (DApps): The combination of blockchain and IPv6 could accelerate the development of decentralised applications. These DApps could utilise blockchain’s smart contract attribute to create self-executing agreements and automated processes, enhancing efficiency and reducing the need for intermediaries.
  • Global identity management: The convergence of blockchain and IPv6 could accelerate the creation of a universal self-sovereign identity system. Individuals would have control over their own digital identities, reducing the risks of identity theft and enhancing privacy.
  • Data ownership and privacy: Blockchain’s capability to provide transparent and auditable data ownership records would provide users with ownership, monetisation and better control over their data. This would improve data privacy practices and increase trust between users and online services.

Web 3.0: Combining all the above attributes would lay the foundation for Web 3, enabling the decentralised ownership of data and creation of self-generated wealth.

Integrating these complex technologies and pooling nationwide optical fibre transport networks would require innovative design and engineering, regulatory oversight and capacity building through skilling and training. Several regulatory and governance challenges must also be addressed, particularly regarding data sovereignty, jurisdiction and legal frameworks for decentralised applications, to move towards the ultimate goal of upgrading fragmented optical fibre networks and digital public infrastructure (DPI) to phygital public good (PPG). This is an idea whose time has come. Let us not miss the PPG bus for overall societal welfare.