inSIG 2025: Celebrating 10 Years of Internet Governance Capacity Building in India

The 10th edition of India School on Internet Governance (inSIG) was co-hosted with Birla Institute of Technology, Goa (BITS Goa) from 19 -21 September. The event was supported by MeitY and sponsored by NIXI, ICANN, APNIC, Internet Society, PIR, CCAOI and IIFON This edition bought together 50 fellows from diverse disciplines, gender and stakeholder groups including participants national, local, youth and specially abled communities in India as well as representatives from (Bhutan, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka.

The event featured Twenty seven speakers,  eighteen in person and nine online along with  a video message from Vint Cerf. Notable  speakers include: Prof Suman Kundu, Director BITS Goa, N. Narendra Nath, National Security Council Secretariat, GoI, Abhishek Singh, MeitY, Devesh Tyagi, NIXI; Jovan Kurbalija, Diplo Foundation; Peace Oliver Amuge, AfriSIG, Brian Cimbolic, PIR; Jennifer Chung, IMSB; Chris Buckridge, IMSB; Pavitra Ramanujam, APC; Prof. Vishwanath Pingali, IIM Ahmedabad; Ram Mohan, Identity Digital; Samiran Gupta, ICANN; Srinivas Chendi, APNIC; Setu Upadhyay; Internet Society; Dhruv Dhody, IAB; Pradeep Verma, MeitY; Dr. Mahesh Uppal; Gowree Gokhale; Kriti Trehan, Data Law Policy; Rakesh Maheshwari; Urvanshi Aneja, Digital Futures Lab; Saikat Dutta, Deepstrat; Dr. Hemant Rathore, BITS Pilani Goa; Yash Agrawal, ICANN; Sohini Raiyung, Internet Society; Prof. K.A. Geetha, BITS Pilani Goa.

The event featured  panel discussions, talks, role plays, along with opening and closing sessions. The key topics included: Evolving Nature of the Internet and its Governance from Global Perspective; Introduction to the IG Ecosystem: ICANN, IETF, IGF, ISOC, RIRs; Landscape around DNS Abuse; WSIS+20 Review and Future Governance of the Internet; Addressing the Digital divide: Access, Inclusion, building Security & Trust; Digital Economy: Balancing Ethics, Rights, Innovation & Environment; Key Regulatory Issues being discussed in India; Governance of AI & Emerging Tech; India’s Cybersecurity Priorities; Internet Standards and RFCs: Processes and the Present Status. Additionally, fellows participated in flash talks  on topics of their interest and shared their Reflections as participants, providing a platform for peer learning and interactive engagement.