APNIC and the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the security, resilience, and long-term development of India’s Internet infrastructure.
Through the MoU, APNIC and NIXI will collaborate to further increase the deployment of IPv6 and Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) technologies by network operators and enterprises in India. Initiatives include technical capacity building, the development of local training infrastructure, and knowledge sharing to support sustainable, locally led growth in Internet expertise.
The MoU was signed on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, during APNIC 62 in Mumbai by APNIC Director General Jia Rong Low and NIXI Chief Executive Officer Dr Devesh Tyagi, witnessed by representatives from India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) and APNIC Executive Council members.
“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,” said APNIC Director General Jia Rong Low.
“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.”
Strengthening routing security
A key focus of the collaboration is increasing RPKI deployment and adoption. Building on the growing coverage of Route Origin Authorizations (ROAs) in India, APNIC and NIXI will work with network operators and enterprises to deploy Route Origin Validation (ROV), another key component of RPKI. ROV enables networks to identify and reject invalid route announcements, strengthening protection against routing incidents and potential route hijacks.
Under the agreement, NIXI will also work with APNIC to deploy an RPKI repository mirror in India. This pilot project will assess whether a repository mirror can improve local access to RPKI data and strengthen repository resilience. APNIC and NIXI will also promote routing security best practices among network operators.
Expanding technical skills
The MoU also establishes a framework for expanded technical training focused on IPv6 and RPKI.
The organizations will develop local training and laboratory infrastructure, as well as establish a Train-the-trainer (TTT) program to build sustainable local expertise. Online and face-to-face training are anticipated for NIXI peering participants, Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN) affiliates, and other stakeholders across India.
Looking ahead
Dr Tyagi said the partnership marks a significant step in NIXI’s mission to build a secure, self-reliant, and future-ready Internet infrastructure for India.
“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,” said Dr Tyagi.
“On routing security, India is doing very well in terms of RPKI ROA, and this partnership with APNIC allows us to build directly on that momentum extending our focus to ROV.
“India is committed to routing security and we are a frontrunner in Autonomous System Provider Authorization (ASPA) adoption.”
“Because a small number of large network operators carry the majority of India’s Internet traffic, ROV adoption by these key networks alone can meaningfully secure the routing landscape for the economy as a whole.”
“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.”
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