Title: India Secures 2nd Spot in Asia for Most Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) – Report
India has clinched the second position in Asia for the highest number of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) per country, as per the recent findings from the Internet Society Pulse Country Report released on Saturday.
The report highlights India’s notable achievement as a significant milestone in the country’s dedication to embracing advanced technologies and addressing the challenges posed by a connected world. An IXP serves as a physical, typically neutral location where diverse networks converge to exchange local internet traffic.
Michuki Mwangi, the Internet Society’s Distinguished Technologist and former CTO of Kenya Internet Exchange Point, emphasized the pivotal role of IXPs in an era dominated by streaming, digital education, and a global work-from-home economy. He commended India’s leadership in Asia but urged further expansion of IXPs, encouraging more networks to peer with them and advocating for the establishment of additional local data centers.
The impact of IXPs extends beyond facilitating internet traffic exchange; they play a crucial role in enhancing the digital capabilities of public services, particularly in a country like India. IXPs foster local content development and offer incentives for hosting local internet services, contributing to the improvement of digital infrastructure.
Despite India’s internet penetration reaching approximately 67% in a country of 1.3 billion people, Saadia Azim, COO of Bangla Sahayata Kendra, a digital public services platform in West Bengal, emphasized the challenge of a significant digital disconnect. The report underscores the importance of addressing this gap to bridge the digital divide, ensuring technological advancements reach all segments of the population, particularly those in rural areas.
