Dr Devesh Tyagi, CEO, NIXI
The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is actively strengthening the nation’s digital backbone by developing, managing, and securing key internet infrastructure. In a conversation with tele.net, Dr Devesh Tyagi, CEO, NIXI, shared insights into the organisation’s evolving role in India’s digital journey and its forward-looking strategy…
What are your views on broadband adoption in India? What are the key challenges?
Broadband adoption in India has witnessed tremendous growth over the past few years, with almost 954.4 million users online. However, several challenges remain. A major issue is the unbalanced penetration of broadband services, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
The transition from IPv4 to IPv6 continues to be a technical challenge for most organisations. Additionally, the limited participation of internet service providers (ISPs) in domestic exchanges results in some data being routed outside the country, which impacts latency and security.
Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach comprising policy support, infrastructure building and closer coordination between stakeholders.
What role is NIXI playing in India’s digital ecosystem?
NIXI has set up 77 Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) across India, enabling local data routing between ISPs. This reduces foreign bandwidth use, lowers latency, and boosts internet resilience with reliable infrastructure, even during disruptions.
It also manages the .in domain registry, supporting India’s digital identity with over 4.25 million active domains, and offers domain names in 22 Indian languages to improve access for non-English users.
Strategically, NIXI supports Tier 1 and Tier 2 networks, local traffic management, and digital autonomy by handling IP registry operations. It promotes IPv6 adoption by providing near-free IPv6 allocations with IPv4 blocks.
What have been NIXI’s key recent initiatives?
NIXI has undertaken several initiatives to enhance India’s digital backbone and facilitate an inclusive internet ecosystem. A key achievement is the country’s leadership in IPv6 adoption, with penetration exceeding 80 per cent.
NIXI has also prioritised the .in domain, aiming to reach a target of 5 million users. The .in domain not only promotes India’s national digital identity but also plays an important role in enabling secure digital governance, especially for government departments, public service portals, educational institutions and Indian businesses.
Through the NIXI Academy, the organisation delivers expert training and sensitisation courses in areas such as IPv6 adoption, digital literacy and best cybersecurity practices.
As part of a nationwide effort to enhance cybersecurity in the financial sector, the Reserve Bank of India has mandated that all banks migrate their net banking websites to the exclusive “.bank.in” domain at the earliest.
To operationalise this domain, the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology has been designated as the exclusive registrar by NIXI under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). This move ensures regulated access, robust verification and improved security for all participating banks.
What will be your future priorities?
NIXI will expand its digital infrastructure to rural and semi-urban areas by setting up additional IXPs. Promoting wider IPv6 adoption remains a core priority, supported by awareness initiatives and technical training via NIXI Academy.
Efforts are also underway to increase the adoption of .in and .भारत domains in regional languages to enhance digital inclusivity and support local content creation.
Additionally, NIXI is formulating an internet resilience policy to ensure uninterrupted access to critical digital services, even if global connectivity is disrupted.
To strengthen India’s cybersecurity landscape and internet resilience, and reduce country foreign exchange outflows on SSL services, NIXI (in close association with the office of the Controller of Certifying Authorities, MeitY) is implementing advanced protective measures by establishing infrastructure for the Webtrust-compliant SSL Certifying Authority, for the issuance of SSL certificates for secure and trusted web communications.
What can promote broadband growth in the country?
First, setting up infrastructure and IXPs in remote areas will reduce bandwidth costs and enhance service quality. Second, affordability and accessibility should be prioritised through low-cost broadband packages and broader network coverage, ensuring even low-income users can access reliable internet.
Localisation plays a vital role in encouraging adoption, especially among non-English speakers, and promoting regional language content.
Strong public-private partnerships are crucial for pooling resources and expertise to build. Security and reliability are non-negotiable; investments in resilient networks and secure data flow mechanisms are vital in the face of rising cyber-threats.
Lastly, digital literacy and technical training for both users and service providers will ensure that the digital ecosystem is inclusive, sustainable and future-ready.
