The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), a pioneering institution and India’s sole neutral internet exchange, operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. Conceived as a catalyst for peering among Internet Service Providers (ISPs), NIXI’s raison d’être ensures domestic internet traffic remains within the nation’s borders, thereby eschewing reliance on international routing. This strategic framework not only enhances service quality through diminished latency but also economizes bandwidth expenditure by obviating the need for costly international bandwidth. True to its neutral ethos, NIXI adheres strictly to globally recognized best practices for such initiatives.
In an exclusive conversation with The Interview World, Dr. Devesh Tyagi, the erudite Chief Executive Officer of NIXI, expounded on the institution’s steadfast commitment to cultivating a safer, more robust internet ecosystem for India’s burgeoning digital populace. He illuminated the symbiotic collaborations with ISPs to bolster cybersecurity and fortify the architecture of secure internet services. Dr. Tyagi also unveiled a suite of visionary initiatives poised to amplify NIXI’s transformative role and articulated his aspirational roadmap for positioning the organization as a cornerstone of India’s Digital India narrative. The following are the salient insights from this thought-provoking engagement.
Q: How is NIXI addressing the growing demands of India’s digital-native population by ensuring a safer internet and delivering superior quality services?
A: NIXI, conceived in 1977 as a national exchange point, has emerged as a linchpin in fortifying India’s digital ecosystem. Serving as the nexus for nearly 4,000 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the nation, it orchestrates the seamless interchange of data, crafting a sophisticated digital highway. By directly connecting ISPs, NIXI eliminates circuitous routes and mitigates data latency, ensuring expeditious and reliable delivery. In the absence of this critical exchange, data would meander through convoluted pathways before reaching the end user, introducing inefficiencies and delays. With NIXI’s infrastructural prowess, latency is dramatically reduced, and the user experience is elevated to unprecedented levels.
A meticulous study of these exchange points underscores their transformative impact in reducing data delays, underscoring their instrumental role in propelling the ambitious “Internet for All” vision. NIXI’s influence extends beyond exchange points; it has ingeniously integrated Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) into its framework. These CDNs—integral to OTT platforms and diverse digital services—are linked to NIXI at no cost, a strategic move that democratizes content dissemination. This symbiotic arrangement empowers content providers to penetrate tier-2 and tier-3 cities with the same efficacy as metropolitan regions, fostering equitable digital access.
By facilitating ISPs to replicate uniform service quality across geographies, NIXI bridges the yawning chasm of digital disparity. Content originating in one corner of the nation is seamlessly disseminated to far-flung areas, free of financial encumbrances, to the benefit of ISPs and users alike. This visionary construct not only amplifies the “Internet for All” agenda but also epitomizes NIXI’s seminal contribution to India’s digital renaissance—a harbinger of equitable connectivity and transformative progress.
Q: Amid the rapidly escalating cyber threats, how does NIXI collaborate with ISPs to ensure robust cyber safety and secure internet services?
A: The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), in its capacity as the custodian of the .in domain, has undertaken a formidable responsibility in safeguarding its integrity. Recognizing sporadic but concerning instances of misuse, we have instituted a series of rigorous measures to fortify its security. Foremost among these is the mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) verification for all .in domain registrations—a decisive step to ensure accountability. Furthermore, the meticulous daily validation of Whois details across every .in registry exemplifies our unwavering vigilance. These initiatives collectively serve as an unyielding bulwark against malicious exploitation, cementing the .in domain as a paragon of trust and digital security in the global internet landscape.
Q: What new initiatives are you planning to introduce at NIXI to enhance its impact and future readiness?
A: Our ministry has embarked upon a pioneering endeavor to establish an indigenous SSL certificate, a move poised to elevate our national cybersecurity infrastructure. The cornerstone of this initiative is our own Certifying Authority (CA), which will be accredited with WebTrust certification, ensuring that the certificates issued are recognized and respected on a global scale.
At present, SSL certificates come with a substantial price tag. However, with this strategic venture, we aim not only to bolster our sovereignty in the domain of digital security but also to significantly curtail the associated costs. This initiative embodies our vision of fostering both technological self-reliance and economic prudence.
The project is already in motion, and we are well on course to bring it to fruition in the foreseeable future.
Q: With Prime Minister Modi’s Digital India vision expanding from metros to rural areas, how do you envision NIXI contributing significantly to this transformative national mission?
A: The exchange business is presently under the dominion of three principal players. One of these is NIXI, while the other two, for reasons of discretion, I shall not name. What sets NIXI apart is its strategic reach: whereas our competitors are largely confined to major metropolitan hubs, we operate a network of 77 exchange points, the majority of which are situated in smaller cities.
Our vision is resolute: to democratize the internet, ensuring that its benefits are universally accessible and services are within the grasp of all. To this end, we are relentlessly pushing to expand our footprint into tier 2 and tier 3 cities. This commitment is unwavering, and we shall persist with this endeavor with the utmost determination.
