**Executive Summary**
The ICANN85 Community Forum, held in Mumbai from March 7-12, 2026, brought together global Internet stakeholders to discuss strengthening a secure and resilient Internet. Organized by ICANN and NIXI under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), the event aimed to foster cooperation for an open, secure, inclusive, and resilient global Internet ecosystem.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Event Details:**
* The ICANN85 Community Forum took place in Mumbai from March 7th to March 12th, 2026.
* It was organized by ICANN in collaboration with the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).
* **Purpose of the Forum:**
* To discuss how to support an open, secure, inclusive, and resilient Internet across the global ecosystem.
* To strengthen cooperation and ensure the Internet continues to support innovation and development across regions.
* To address key issues related to the secure and stable operation of the Internet.
* **Participants:**
* The forum involved a high-level Government and Industry session with senior government officials and Internet leaders.
* Over 200 sessions were held, including governments, industry leaders, technical experts, and civil society participants globally.
* **Key Discussion Areas:**
* The evolution of the Domain Name System (DNS).
* Cybersecurity practices.
* The upcoming expansion of generic top-level domains (gTLDs).
* **Core Principles Emphasized:**
* The importance of the multistakeholder approach in Internet governance.
* The need for a stable, secure, and unified global Internet.
* Commitment to building trusted digital infrastructure supporting innovation, cooperation, and meaningful participation from all regions.
* The Internet as critical infrastructure for economies, public services, innovation, and daily life.
* The necessity of transparency and accountability in decision-making for Internet governance.
**Impact Analysis**
**Governments and Public Sector**
* **Impact:** Involved in high-level discussions on Internet governance, policy development, and the secure operation of the Internet, aligning with national digital growth ambitions. They are key contributors to building trusted digital infrastructure.
* **Action Required:** Participate in discussions, contribute to policy development, and support initiatives for a secure, resilient, and inclusive Internet.
**Technical Community and Industry Stakeholders**
* **Impact:** Engaged in critical discussions on DNS evolution, cybersecurity, and gTLD expansion, directly influencing the technical infrastructure and future of the Internet. They collaborate to implement solutions.
* **Action Required:** Contribute expertise to discussions, collaborate on policy development and solutions, and ensure the continued secure operation of the Internet.
**Civil Society**
* **Impact:** Included in the multistakeholder approach to Internet governance, ensuring a diversity of voices and perspectives are considered in policy development and shaping an inclusive Internet.
* **Action Required:** Participate in sessions and contribute to discussions to ensure the Internet reflects the diverse humanity it serves.
**The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)**
* **Impact:** Organized the forum, facilitated discussions on core Internet functions like domain names, and works towards a stable, secure, and unified global Internet.
* **Action Required:** Continue coordinating and supporting unique identifiers globally and driving the mission for a secure, stable, and globally interoperable Internet.
**National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)**
* **Impact:** Hosted the event and plays a critical role in strengthening India's Internet infrastructure, managing country-code top-level domains, and promoting Internet adoption, aligning with India's digital growth.
* **Action Required:** Continue facilitating efficient domestic Internet traffic exchange and promoting Internet services in India, supporting a secure, resilient, and inclusive Internet ecosystem.
Key Entities Referenced
ICANN85: A community forum focused on strengthening the secure and resilient internet.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY): Government ministry involved in hosting and collaborating on the ICANN85 forum.
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): Organization that organized the ICANN85 Community Forum.
National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI): Organization that collaborated in hosting the ICANN85 Community Forum and plays a critical role in India's internet infrastructure.
Mumbai: Location where the ICANN85 Community Forum took place.
Ministry of Electronics & IT
ICANN85 in Mumbai Highlights Collaboration to
Strengthen a Secure and Resilient Internet
India remains committed to contributing to building trusted
digital infrastructure that supports innovation, cooperation,
and meaningful participation from all regions: Secretary,
MeitY
Posted On: 09 MAR 2026 8:37PM by PIB Mumbai
: Mumbai, March 9 2026
The ICANN85 Community Forum, organized by the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and hosted in collaboration with the
National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) under Ministry of Electronics
and IT (MeitY) brought global Internet stakeholders to Mumbai to discuss how to
support an open, secure, inclusive, and resilient Internet across the global
Internet ecosystem.
The ICANN85 Community Forum is currently taking place in Mumbai. It started on
7th March, 2026 and will continue till 12th March 2026.
A high-level Government and Industry session held today, brought together senior
government officials and Internet leaders including the Secretary, Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Shri S. Krishnan; Chief Secretary,
Government of Maharashtra, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal; Joint Secretary, MeitY, Shri
Sushil Pal; Chief Executive Officer, NIXI, Dr. Devesh Tyagi; and ICANN Board Chair,
Ms. Tripti Sinha; ICANN President and CEO, Mr. Kurtis Lindqvist; and ICANN Vice
President for Stakeholder Engagement and Managing Director for the Asia Pacific
region, Shri Samiran Gupta.
“The Internet today has become critical infrastructure that supports economies,
public services, innovation, and everyday life across the world. As digital adoption
continues to grow, it is important that we work together to ensure the Internet
remains open, secure, resilient, and inclusive. Platforms like ICANN bring together
governments, the private sector, the technical community, and civil society to
strengthen the multistakeholder approach to Internet governance. India remains
committed to contributing to these global efforts and to building trusted digital
infrastructure that supports innovation, cooperation, and meaningful participation
from all regions.” said the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY), Shri S. Krishnan.“The Internet today is a critical part of economic growth, governance, and daily life.
Platforms like ICANN85 provide an important opportunity for governments, technical
experts, and industry stakeholders to come together and discuss how we can keep
the Internet open, secure, and accessible for everyone. Such discussions help
strengthen cooperation and ensure that the Internet continues to support innovation
and development across regions,” said Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief Secretary,
Government of Maharashtra.
“The world grows more complex and, at times, more divided — which is precisely
why the Internet's stability and integrity matter more deeply now than ever before.
Today, that original call rings louder and truer than ever. It asks us to be steady and
disciplined in how we work, transparent and accountable in how we decide, and
unwavering in our commitment to an Internet that is secure, stable, and reflective
of the diverse humanity it serves,” said Ms. Tripti Sinha, ICANN Board Chair.
“My focus this week is practical. I want us to leave Mumbai with meaningful
progress on the work the community has prioritized, and with momentum on the
milestones that are coming next,” said Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO.
This community works best when we combine deep experience with fresh eyes, and
when we bring more people into the work, especially from regions that have not
always been in the center of these conversations, he added.
The ICANN85 Community Forum is comprised of more than 200 sessions involving
governments, industry leaders, technical experts, and civil society participants from
around the world. The sessions focus on key issues related to the secure and stable
operation of the Internet, including the evolution of the Domain Name System,
cybersecurity practices, and the upcoming expansion of generic top-level
domains (gTLDs). Discussions throughout the week will highlight the importance
of the multistakeholder model in Internet governance, where the ICANN community
collaborates to develop policies, implement solutions, and support the continued
operation of a secure, stable, and globally interoperable Internet.
About ICANNICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To
reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a
number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique, so
computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support
these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit
public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.
About NIXI
The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is a not-for-profit organization
set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY), Government of India. NIXI plays a critical role in strengthening India’s
Internet infrastructure by facilitating efficient exchange of domestic Internet traffic,
managing the .IN and .भारत (.Bharat) country-code top-level domains, and
promoting adoption of Internet services across the country. Through its initiatives,
NIXI supports a secure, resilient, and inclusive Internet ecosystem aligned with
India’s digital growth ambitions.
PIB Mumbai | Sriyanka Chatterjee/Priti Malandkar
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