India's internet governance body and the Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre have formalized a partnership aimed at hardening the country's routing infrastructure and expanding technical expertise. The agreement, signed on 8 September 2026 at APNIC 62 in Mumbai, commits both organizations to accelerating adoption of IPv6 and Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) among network operators and enterprises across the region.

The partnership encompasses technical capacity building, establishment of training facilities within India, and collaborative knowledge transfer to foster sustainable, locally driven growth in internet infrastructure skills. The memorandum was executed by APNIC Director General Jia Rong Low and NIXI Chief Executive Officer Dr Devesh Tyagi, with attendance from officials representing India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI), and members of APNIC's Executive Council.

India is the global leader in IPv6 adoption, with the largest IPv6-enabled user populations in the world. This achievement reflects the commitment of India's Internet community, industry, and government to building future-ready digital infrastructure.

APNIC Director General Jia Rong Low

Low added that the collaboration with NIXI represents an opportunity to advance India's internet infrastructure further. "Through this partnership with NIXI, we look forward to supporting the next stage of India's Internet journey, working towards further IPv6 adoption and strengthening routing security to support the long-term development of India's Internet infrastructure," he stated.

Strengthening routing security

Central to the initiative is the expansion of RPKI deployment across Indian networks. The two organizations plan to build on existing Route Origin Authorization (ROA) coverage by encouraging adoption of Route Origin Validation (ROV), which allows networks to detect and discard fraudulent route announcements. This capability provides defense against routing attacks and route hijacking incidents.

The agreement includes a pilot project to establish an RPKI repository mirror within India. This deployment will test whether localized repository access can enhance data availability and bolster the resilience of RPKI systems. Additionally, both parties intend to disseminate routing security best practices to network operators across the country.

Expanding technical skills

The memorandum creates a structured approach to scaling technical training in IPv6 and RPKI technologies. Plans include building local training infrastructure and laboratory facilities, as well as launching a Train-the-trainer (TTT) program to cultivate enduring local capability. Training delivery will combine online and in-person formats for NIXI peering participants, Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN) members, and other stakeholders throughout India.

Looking ahead

Dr Tyagi characterized the agreement as a milestone in NIXI's efforts to establish a secure, self-sufficient, and forward-looking internet infrastructure for India. He emphasized that the country's internet ecosystem faces new demands as it scales.

India's Internet ecosystem is entering a new phase of scale and responsibility, and our infrastructure must lead from a position of strength secure, resilient, and built for what comes next.

Dr Devesh Tyagi, NIXI CEO

India has demonstrated strong progress on RPKI ROA deployment, and the partnership enables the country to leverage that momentum to advance ROV adoption. Dr Tyagi noted that India is also a leader in Autonomous System Provider Authorization (ASPA) adoption.

He highlighted a critical structural advantage: because a small number of large network operators handle the bulk of India's internet traffic, ROV deployment by these key players alone can substantially improve routing security across the entire economy.

This partnership will help us work closely with these networks, along with the wider operator and enterprise community, to build the technical expertise and infrastructure needed to safeguard the integrity of Internet routing across the region.

Dr Devesh Tyagi