Root Server in India: Govt Pushes ICANN for Local Setup

Government Pushes ICANN to Establish Internet Root Server Infrastructure in India

MeitY says India should host a root server given its vast user base — a long-pending request to ICANN aimed at resilience, lower latency, and digital sovereignty.

By Naina, 23rd June 2026

India is renewing its push for a root server in India, with the government formally pressing the global internet body ICANN to locate part of the internet's core addressing infrastructure on Indian soil. Speaking at a NIXI event in New Delhi on 19 June 2026, Ministry of Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said the country should host at least one root server to serve its huge population. The request is not new, but the public reiteration signals how seriously New Delhi now treats control over critical digital infrastructure.

Root servers sit at the very top of the internet's address book, translating the website names people type into the numerical addresses machines use. For a country with hundreds of millions of users, hosting that infrastructure is increasingly framed as a question of security and sovereignty, not just speed. The ask also feeds a wider global debate over how evenly the internet's foundational systems are distributed.

The Government's Demand

Krishnan said the government has been pushing to locate a root server in the country given the number of people who use the internet and the need for long-term resilience of the internet system. He acknowledged that placing servers in India is a long process. In the meantime, he said, the government is ensuring adequate memory and mirror sites are in place to build resilience, while arguing that it is important from an internet-governance point of view for the infrastructure to be spread throughout the world.

What a Root Server Actually Does

A root server is the starting point for almost every action online. When a user types the name of a website, sends an email, or runs a search, the query first needs to find where that domain lives. Root servers hold the master directory for the internet's top-level domains and point each request toward the right path. Because they anchor the Domain Name System, their location and resilience shape how fast and how reliably a country's users reach the wider web.

The 13 Root Server Myth

A common misconception is that the internet runs on just 13 physical root servers. In reality there are 13 root identities, labelled A through M and operated by 12 organisations, but each identity is mirrored across many machines, so the 13 addresses do not correspond to 13 server machines. Through a technique called anycast, the root system now runs more than 2,000 instances worldwide that automatically route each query to the nearest copy. So the question for India is less about a single missing machine and more about how robust and locally controlled that presence is.

India's Existing Footprint

India is not starting from zero. The country already hosts anycast instances of several root identities, and officials note that mirror sites and added memory help local queries resolve closer to home. What the government wants is a more substantial, managed presence. Earlier negotiations referenced in a parliamentary report suggested India could eventually receive a cluster of around 18 servers. ICANN itself operates one of the 13 root identities and partners with willing third parties to host additional managed instances that strengthen DNS resilience for their regions.

Why It Matters for Resilience and Security

The strategic case rests on resilience and cybersecurity. A stronger root presence in India would cut the latency of DNS lookups and let the country respond faster to cyber and malware attacks, containing threats closer to the ISP gateway. A parliamentary standing committee studying global terrorism urged a proactive stance, noting that locating root infrastructure in India would reduce dependence on systems concentrated abroad. For policymakers, that independence is the core of the argument.

The Digital Sovereignty Angle

The push also reflects a broader appetite for digital sovereignty. A majority of the original root server operators are based in the United States, with only three located elsewhere, in Japan, the Netherlands, and Sweden, and a number of governments now want a larger share of that footprint within their borders. India frames its request as good internet governance, arguing that spreading core infrastructure across regions makes the global network more stable. ICANN already maintains root clusters in locations including Singapore, Europe, the United States, Egypt, and Kenya.

The Road Through ICANN

Getting there runs through ICANN's processes. The body coordinates the internet's naming system and works with root operators to keep it stable, but it treats the managed root server as critical infrastructure with strict technical and security requirements, including placement outside a host's firewall. One stated benefit of hosting an instance is reduced DNS query response times and lower bandwidth use for queries leaving the network. Krishnan's comments suggest negotiations are continuing rather than concluded, with no firm timeline confirmed.

The Direction of Travel

India's renewed push for a root server in India is less about a single piece of hardware and more about where control over critical internet infrastructure should sit. The government is layering near-term fixes, mirror sites and added capacity, on top of a longer campaign for a dedicated managed presence. The outcome will depend on ICANN's procedures and on how the global internet community balances efficiency with wider distribution. For a country adding internet users at scale, the case for a stronger local foundation will only grow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a root server?
A root server holds the master directory for the internet's top-level domains. When you type a web address or send an email, the request first checks the root system to find where that domain lives, making root servers a foundational part of the Domain Name System.

Does India already have a root server?
In part. India hosts anycast instances of several root identities, so many queries already resolve locally. The government wants a larger, dedicated managed presence to strengthen resilience rather than rely on a limited number of instances.

How many root servers are there?
There are 13 root identities, labelled A through M and run by 12 operators, but each is mirrored across many machines. Through anycast, the root server system runs more than 2,000 instances worldwide.

Why does India want a root server located in the country?
The government cites long-term internet resilience, lower latency for DNS lookups, faster response to cyber attacks, and digital sovereignty, reducing reliance on infrastructure concentrated abroad.

Who decides whether India gets one?
ICANN coordinates the root server system and sets the technical and security requirements for hosting managed instances. Establishing a dedicated cluster is a long process that depends on ICANN's procedures and partnerships.