Government of India asks Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to set up a root server in India to push towards Digital Sovereignty.
- ICANN is a global not-for-profit partnership formed in 1998 to keep the Internet secure, stable, and interoperable by coordinating its unique identifiers.
- Root server is the core part of the internet that connects users to websites.
- User search on the internet goes to root servers, which, like an exchange, search the location of a website or URL on world wide web and then connect the user with them.
About Digital Sovereignty
- It is the ability of a nation to govern its digital space, retaining meaningful control over its data, digital infrastructure, networks, and online narratives, free from external influence.
- Significance of Digital Sovereignty for India
- National Security: Dependence on foreign technology can compromise defence capabilities and strategic autonomy, as seen during the 1999 Kargil conflict when GPS access was restricted.
- Economic Resilience: Reliance on imported semiconductors, operating systems, cloud services, and security infrastructure creates vulnerabilities that can disrupt business, manufacturing, and trade.
- Data Sovereignty: Local control over data protects privacy, prevents data exploitation by foreign entities, and retains the economic value of data within the country.
- Strategic Autonomy: As a rising power, India requires an independent technological ecosystem to reduce external leverage and maintain policy freedom.
