India ranks 6th in South Asia region for Internet Resilience

New Delhi, Aug 8

India achieved an overall score of 43 per cent in the Internet Resilience Index (IRI), ranking sixth in the South Asian region, a report said on Tuesday.

According to the global non-profit organisation Internet Society, India's security is ranked above average, attributed to having the highest IPv6 (the newest Internet Protocol to accommodate growing networks) adoption globally.

Counties like Bhutan (58 per cent), Bangladesh (51 per cent), Maldives (50 per cent), Sri Lanka (47 per cent), and Nepal (43 per cent) are ahead of India in the IRI ranking.

In terms of market readiness -- the ability of India’s Internet market to self-regulate and provide affordability is ranked comparatively poorly.

According to the four pillars that make up the IRI, India scores 31 per cent in infrastructure, 40 per cent in performance, 66 per cent in security, and 35 per cent in market readiness.

In infrastructure, the score assessed the existence and availability of physical infrastructure for Internet connectivity in India.

"India's mobile coverage is far greater than its fixed network coverage," said the report. In performance, the score assessed the ability of India's networks to provide end-users with seamless and reliable access to Internet services.

Broken down further, India's mobile performance (29 per cent) is nearly less than half of the fixed network performance (55 per cent), according to the report.

In security, the score measured the ability of India's networks to resist intentional or unintentional disruptions through the adoption of security technologies and best practices, while in market readiness, the score measured the ability of India's market to self-regulate and provide affordable prices to end-users by maintaining a diverse and competitive market.