Building enhanced resilience and sustainability into the Indian internet system -The critical role of IXPs, IPv6 and blockchains

Resilience is the important property of a material that, in a layman’s language, is its ability to rebound or bounce back to original state after being subjected to a disturbance or deformation. So is it with internet resilience, which refers to the capacity of the internet to continue functioning effectively in the face of various disruptions, whether they be natural disasters, cyber-attacks, technical failures, or other unexpected challenges. In today’s interconnected world, the internet is integral to nearly every aspect of modern life – from communication and commerce to governance, healthcare, and emergency services – its resilience has become a highly critical concern. To be able to manage the overall quality and continuity of the internet network of a nation, it is, therefore, important to understand the key components that contribute to internet resilience, examining how they work together to ensure the stability and continuity of this vital infrastructure. Three key elements that play a vital role in this effort are IPv6, internet exchange points (IXPs), and the blockchain technology.

IPv6 for enhancing internet resilience
IPv6, the next-generation internet protocol, is critical in bolstering internet resilience by addressing the limitations of IPv4, particularly the shortage of IP addresses. With IPv6, the available address space expands dramatically, enabling the growth of connected devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) and reducing the need for complex workarounds like Network Address Translation (NAT). IPv6’s simplified routing protocols also enhance the efficiency of data transmission, supporting faster recovery and rerouting of traffic in case of network failures. Furthermore, the built-in security features, such as IPSec (internet protocol security) improve data integrity and encryption, making IPv6 a key enabler of both scalability and security, creating a more resilient internet infrastructure.

Blockchain and internet resilience
Blockchain technology offers a decentralized framework that strengthens internet resilience by eliminating single points of failure. Unlike traditional systems, blockchain operates through a distributed ledger, wherein data is replicated across multiple nodes, ensuring network continuity even if some nodes are compromised or go offline. This decentralization makes blockchain an ideal tool for secure, tamper-resistant data storage and transaction processing. In the context of internet infrastructure, blockchain’s potential to enhance security is particularly relevant in mitigating risks from cyber-attacks, such as DNS hijacking, and enabling suitable verification processes. Additionally, blockchain-based solutions can help manage distributed resources, like routing information or domain names, thereby increasing the robustness and fault tolerance of the overall internet architecture.

Internet exchange points (IXPs)
The internet, by its nature, thrives on interconnection. No internet network can survive as an island, separate by itself, as that would be valueless to its users who invariably wish to connect with any person/entity in the entire universe of internet subscribers, even if the addressee belongs to a different internet network. An internet exchange point or IXP is a physical, and usually neutral, location where different networks meet to exchange internet traffic. It should be noted that with the explosion of digital services like OTT streaming, digital education, and the global work-from-home economy, IXPs have become indispensable in making local internet services more resilient, so users experience minimal disruptions. Apart from having a large number of IXPs, it is also imperative to deploy them at optimal locations to achieve efficient movement of the net traffic. Particularly in India, the importance of IXPs cannot be overstated, given the country’s burgeoning numbers of internet users.

Redundancy is a foundational principle of internet resilience, and IXPs provide both physical and logical redundancy. Redundancy refers to the existence of multiple, independent pathways and systems that can take over in case one or more components fail. In the context of the internet, this means having multiple physical and logical routes for data to travel.

• Physical redundancy. This involves having multiple fiber-optic cables, data centers, and networking equipment spread across different geographic locations. For instance, if an undersea cable connecting continents is severed, traffic can be rerouted through other cables to avoid disruption. Similarly, data centers are often built with backup power supplies and cooling systems to maintain operations during local outages.
• Logical redundancy. On the software side, protocols like the border gateway protocol (BGP) enable routers to find alternative paths for data packets if the primary route is unavailable. The domain name system (DNS) also benefits from redundancy, with multiple servers across the world ensuring that domain names can still be resolved even if some servers are offline.

The impact of IXPs is substantial in enhancing the digital capabilities of public services, a critical factor for a country like India. IXPs encourage local content development, creating incentives for local hosting of internet services. This, in turn, propels the emergence of IT hubs, benefiting the IT sector, the service sector, and the society at large.

While India is one of the leaders in the internet sector in Asia, we cannot be complacent. In 2020-21 India had too few a number of IXPs, which leads to vulnerability in respect of internet resilience. There were then only about 24 IXP locations (TRAI 2021), or 0.17 IXP per 10 million population. The situation afforded great scope for improvement, as shown below:

However, India’s progress in expanding its IXP infrastructure has been impressive over the last two years given the urgent needs to address the challenges of a connected world. India improved to approximately 156 IXPs established as of December 2023. The top three players, namely NIXI, Extreme, and DE-CIX together have 140 lX locations, and several hundred internet networks connect to these. Increased investments in and a more aggressive growth of IXPs would lead to enhanced affordability and improved resilience/reliability, which are so important for achieving the status of digital economy superpower. Investments and growth would be catalyzed by removing the fear of hard licensing and heavy-handed regulation and ensuring facilitation through very light touch regulation – like mere registering on a portal.

Conclusion: Strengthening India’s internet resilience
Internet resilience is a multifaceted concept that involves a combination of technological, regulatory, and human factors. As the world becomes increasingly dependent on the internet, ensuring its resilience is not just a technical challenge but also a societal imperative. By investing in redundant infrastructure, adaptive routing, robust security, and continuous innovation, and by fostering international cooperation and effective operational practices, we can build an internet that withstands disruptions and continues to serve as the backbone of our digital lives.

As India moves toward its vision to be a leading digital economy of the world and have an agile and dependable internet system, it must obviously aim also to keep a major chunk of its internet traffic in India. This requires further expansion of IXPs, deployment of IPv6, and integration of innovative technologies like blockchain to ensure faster, more secure, more robust, and less expensive internet access. This emphasizes the necessity for collaboration among government, technology stakeholders, and industry players to prioritize competition and open the market, ultimately enhancing internet resilience that not only meets the needs of today but also anticipates the challenges of tomorrow in India’s digital evolution.

Co-authored by TV Ramachandran, President, Broadband India Forum. Views are personal.