India, which is forever angling with the US, for a loftier seat at global high tables has now pushed for setting up a 'root server' within India, anonymous sources told The Economic Times.
There are only 13 such servers, of which 10 are in the US, two in Europe and one in Japan. A root name server is the core system that converts readable host names into IP addresses, which is what gets users to the right portal link.
However what has really caught the attention of the political leadership is that a root server will give India considerable clout in the Internet governance structure besides prompting a major technological upgradation within the country. "Placing a root server in India will also be a great symbol of trust in Indo-US relations," an official told the Economic Times. Moreover it will also help India have more control over internet traffic.
While a place as a permanent member of the UN Security Council has long been a cherished dream for India, the big powers--except, ostensibly, the US--are wary of India's inclusion. Last month the Press Trust Of India reported that India's bid for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council, was opposed by Russia, China and the US. However the US has recently denied such a claim at its end.
For making its case to establish route servers, India told the US a fortnight ago that the management of the Internet needs to be more democratic and beyond the realm of the 10 root servers in the US, which are mostly located in NASA, military research labs and universities.
India has added 52 million Internet users in first six months of the year, taking the total user base to 352 million as on June 30, 2015, according to a report by industry body Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has said. Of these 213 million, or over 60 per cent, users accessed the worldwide web through mobile devices.
"Internet (in India) has reached an inflection point. The consolidated numbers affirm the fact that Internet in India has now become inclusive, which augurs well for the industry and society at large," the (IAMAI) said in a statement.
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