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.
Strengthening India’s Global Digital Presence: ICANN, as a knowledge partner, shared insights into the program’s framework and the technical aspects of applying for a new gTLD.
Samiran Gupta from ICANN emphasised the benefits for corporate and nonprofit organisations looking to leverage the ASP, saying, “Together, we can strengthen our internet community by providing a platform for Indian organisations to secure meaningful online identities.”
Scientist T Santhosh from MeitY highlighted the ASP as a valuable chance for Indian stakeholders to participate in global Internet governance forums. He encouraged NGOs and foundations to explore gTLD opportunities, particularly through Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), which support non-Latin scripts.
“Domains like ‘.bharat’ enhance India’s global visibility,” Santhosh noted, adding that promoting Indian languages in ICANN’s documentation and policy processes would broaden the country’s digital reach.
Driving Collaboration for a Digital India: The roundtable underscored the critical importance of collaboration among MeitY, NIXI, and ICANN in expanding India’s digital capabilities.
The program’s support, including for multilingual domain names, offers organisations a path to better engage diverse Indian audiences and strengthen the nation’s presence on the internet.
The event concluded with a commitment to ongoing cooperation between MeitY, NIXI, and ICANN, ensuring that Indian organisations are well-prepared to participate in the New gTLD Program.
By fostering a supportive framework for Indian applicants, these institutions aim to create a more inclusive, accessible internet aligned with India’s vision for a robust digital ecosystem.
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