India Internet Governance Forum 2025 Concludes With Roadmap for Inclusive, Trusted and Resilient Digital Future

Experts from the UN Internet Governance Forum, Meta, Google Cloud, CCAOI, global think tanks and prominent academic institutions enriched the discussions with international viewpoints.

The fifth edition of the India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF-2025) concluded in New Delhi after two days of intense, multi-stakeholder deliberations held at the India Habitat Centre and the India International Centre. Bringing together voices from government, industry, civil society, academia, global organisations and the technical community, the forum reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing an open, secure and inclusive digital ecosystem under the guiding theme: “Advancing Internet Governance for an Inclusive and Sustainable Viksit Bharat.”

A Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on India’s Digital Future

IIGF-2025 continued its tradition as a collaborative platform involving representatives from central ministries, major technology firms, grassroots organisations, universities, internet governance bodies and international agencies. Structured around three critical sub-themes, the forum provided a comprehensive look at the opportunities and challenges shaping India’s next digital decade:

• Inclusive Digital Future

• Digital Infrastructure for Resilient and Sustainable Growth

• AI for People, Planet and Progress

Across two days, four major panel discussions and twelve thematic workshops explored a spectrum of issues including rural and underserved connectivity, open digital ecosystems, ethical AI, domain name and DNS security, content moderation, cybersecurity readiness, the evolution of India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI), data protection frameworks and pathways for youth participation in internet governance.

Global Perspectives Meet India’s Internet Vision

Experts from the UN Internet Governance Forum, Meta, Google Cloud, CCAOI, global think tanks and prominent academic institutions enriched the discussions with international viewpoints. Their insights helped situate India’s achievements—especially its DPI successes such as Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker—within broader global debates on internet governance, interoperability, trust and data protection.

India’s Approach: Secure, Inclusive, Citizen-Centric

In his inaugural address, Union Minister of State for Electronics & IT (MeitY) Shri Jitin Prasada stressed that digital progress is a shared effort:

“Our focus is to give every citizen safe, affordable and reliable access to the internet. With strong 5G coverage, solid digital public systems and a consent-based Data Protection Act, we are creating an environment that protects people and opens doors for opportunities.”

The Minister underlined that cybersecurity is a collective responsibility, not the government’s alone, and emphasised that India’s governance model supports countries that still face digital access challenges. He reiterated the government’s resolve to reach the last mile and ensure technology becomes a genuine enabler of social and economic empowerment.

Addressing Trust, Safety and Resilience at Population Scale

Shri Sushil Pal, Joint Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s rapid digital transformation, noting that with nearly one billion people online, India has built a population-scale model for both developing and developed nations.

He cautioned that the rise of AI and digital adoption at scale also brings heightened risks—including misinformation, cyberattacks, fraud and misuse of emerging technologies. He emphasised coordinated governance to protect users and reinforce the technical foundations of the internet:

“Strengthening trust, safety and resilience is imperative… Our objective is a secure and open internet trusted by users.”

Multi-Stakeholder Model Strengthening India’s Digital Foundations

Dr Devesh Tyagi, CEO of NIXI, underscored IIGF’s unique identity as a forum shaped by diverse contributors—from engineers and policy makers to students and grassroots groups.

He pointed to the success of the NIXI Internet Intern Scheme, which has trained more than 10,000 students in the past year alone. Many young participants have progressed to international roles and policy work, demonstrating India’s growing footprint in global internet governance.

He also highlighted the rising influence of IIGF’s Special Interest Groups (SIGs) on future internet technologies, domain names, internet numbers and global standards—institutions that are fostering long-term, informed dialogue and capacity-building across sectors.

Key Themes Emerging From IIGF-2025

Over the course of the forum, several shared priorities emerged:

• Universal and meaningful access must remain central to India’s digital strategy

• Strengthening Digital Public Infrastructure for equitable growth

• Ensuring *robust cybersecurity, trust frameworks and interoperable standards

• Promoting ethical, inclusive and accountable use of Artificial Intelligence

• Encouraging youth participation in internet governance

• Enhancing resilience across all layers of internet technologies

• Bolstering collaboration between government, industry, academia and civil society

The discussions reaffirmed that India’s digital journey must balance innovation with safety, accessibility with inclusivity, and speed with sustainability.

A Unified Commitment to a Safer, More Inclusive Internet

As IIGF-2025 concluded, participants expressed a collective resolve to strengthen India’s leadership in fair, open and globally cooperative internet governance. The forum emphasized that a resilient, future-ready digital ecosystem requires coordinated efforts across sectors—especially as India moves toward its vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The outcomes of the forum will contribute to shaping national and international policy dialogues, reinforce India’s multi-stakeholder model and support the creation of an internet that is secure, trusted, accessible and beneficial for all.