MeitY, NIXI and ICANN unite to boost India’s role in new gTLDs program

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in partnership with the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), held a successful roundtable in New Delhi to promote the ICANN Applicant Support Program (ASP), part of the new Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) initiative. This event, hosted at the Mirza Ghalib Chamber, Scope Complex, brought together key government officials, industry leaders, and stakeholders to discuss ways to encourage Indian participation in the upcoming gTLD expansion, set for April 2026.

The ICANN Applicant Support Program offers financial and administrative assistance to organizations, particularly from underserved regions, aiming to apply for new gTLDs. The goal is to expand the internet’s namespace, promoting a diverse, accessible web environment. Leaders from MeitY, NIXI, and ICANN underscored the significance of the initiative, calling it a step toward creating secure, mission-driven online spaces and increasing India’s digital presence on the global stage.

The roundtable featured distinguished speakers, including Dr Devesh Tyagi, CEO of NIXI; Samiran Gupta, Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement, and Managing Director, Asia Pacific at ICANN; and T. Santhosh, Scientist-F, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY). Dr Tyagi reiterated NIXI’s commitment to making the internet more inclusive in India, saying, “We believe this program will empower local businesses and communities to shape their online presence in a meaningful way.”

Samiran Gupta from ICANN highlighted ASP’s role in aiding organizations as they navigate the technical and administrative aspects of the gTLD application process. “Together, we can strengthen our internet community by encouraging participation and promoting diverse web domains,” Gupta said.

T. Santhosh emphasized the need for Indian organizations-particularly NGOs and foundations—to utilize the Applicant Support Program, with a focus on Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) for Indian languages. “Engaging with the ASP can help connect non-Latin-speaking audiences and expand India’s digital footprint,” he added, citing domains like “.bharat” as examples that enhance visibility for Indian language content.

The event marked a milestone in MeitY’s and NIXI’s efforts to prepare Indian stakeholders for participation in the global digital landscape through the new gTLD Program. The session concluded with a commitment to ongoing collaboration to support local organizations in securing unique web identities that reflect their missions and cultural identities.