New Delhi: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), successfully organised a roundtable on the ICANN Applicant Support Program (ASP), an initiative under the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program.
The event gathered key stakeholders and industry leaders to discuss the ASP’s impact on India’s digital landscape and encouraged eligible organisations to participate in the initiative.
The roundtable was attended by Dr Devesh Tyagi, CEO of NIXI; Samiran Gupta, Vice President of stakeholder Engagement and Managing Director, Asia Pacific at ICANN; and T Santhosh, Scientist-F at MeitY. Together, they highlighted the significant role of gTLDs in creating safe, mission-oriented online spaces.
This platform allowed industry experts to answer questions about the application process and provide clarity on requirements, helping potential applicants understand their path to participation in the program.
Empowering Underserved Regions with ICANN’s ASP:The ICANN Applicant Support Program is part of the New gTLD Program, scheduled to launch in April 2026. It is designed to aid organisations—especially those from underserved regions—by offering financial and administrative support in applying for new gTLDs.
These gTLDs, such as “.com” or “.org,” help classify websites by purpose or mission. The New gTLD Program’s expansion aims to make the internet’s namespace more diverse and accessible, opening opportunities for organisations to define unique online identities.
Speaking at the event, Dr Tyagi expressed NIXI’s dedication to building a more inclusive internet environment in India, noting that the collaboration with ICANN and MeitY would empower Indian businesses and communities in the global digital sphere.
“With the rollout of the new gTLD program and application support for local languages, we’re on track for significant advancements in the coming year,” Dr. Tyagi stated, underscoring the program’s potential impact on India’s digital footprint.