Union Minister for Information Technology & Electronics Ravi Shankar Prasad today reiterated India’s commitment to the multi-stakeholder model during the Opening Ceremony of the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN’s) 57th Public Meeting today.
The Union minister called upon the ICANN to focus on providing internet facility in local language and involve the people in growth process. As Internet has become part and parcel of our lives it is time to offer cost effective services in local languages, he asserted. The meeting, also known as ICANN57, is taking place in Hyderabad from November 3 to 9 and convened thousands of the global Internet community members (both on-site and remotely) to discuss and develop policies related to the Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS).
It is hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), with support from the Government of Telangana. Ravishankar Prasad said that there are 19000 start up companies in the country including 5000 start up companies came into existence during last one year.
Ravishankar Prasad stated that “India has supported the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance and we are happy to note that the IANA stewardship transition has taken place. The Internet is a great equalizer and helps to connect all he maintained. It is now time to look ahead, to build the Internet of the future with the participation of all stakeholders,” he said. To expand India’s participation in the multi-stakeholder model, ICANN will work with India’s stakeholders, including the Government of India, to develop a structured framework focusing on fostering the development of the DNS industry in India. The framework will concentrate on capacity building for India’s stakeholders, gearing them up for active participation in ICANN and the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance.
“With the IANA stewardship transition behind us, our top priority now is to focus on our revised mission and new bylaws, and working together with the empowered community. Expanding our outreach is key to our mission, ICANN President and CEO, Göran Marby said. ICANN Board Chair Dr Stephen Crocker added, “The world is watching closely to see how a post-transition ICANN community handles its new found role. (NSS)