India has just completed 11 years of the Digital India programme. In that time, banking, governance, healthcare, education, and public services have moved online at a scale few countries have seen. With more than one billion internet users, India is now one of the largest digital ecosystems in the world.
However, scale also brings risk.
Every day, millions of Indians transfer money, pay bills, and invest through online banking platforms. The volume of digital transactions continues to grow rapidly-and so do cyber threats. Phishing websites, lookalike domains, and online fraud are no longer isolated incidents; they have become an everyday challenge for banks and customers alike.
We cannot treat trust as something we build after a breach. Trust has to begin at the very first interaction-the login page. Every customer should be able to recognise within seconds that the banking website they are visiting is genuine. That is why secure and verified digital identity must form the foundation of cybersecurity rather than being treated as an additional layer of protection.
This is the thinking behind bank.in, a dedicated zone exclusively for all leading banks in India. Every institution seeking a bank.in zone undergoes stringent verification before it is approved. The objective is straightforward: Make it significantly harder for fraudulent websites to impersonate legitimate banks. Currently, 1,298 banks have migrated to the bank.in zone, reflecting the banking sector's growing commitment to strengthening digital trust and protecting customers from online fraud.
{{/usCountry}}This is the thinking behind bank.in, a dedicated zone exclusively for all leading banks in India. Every institution seeking a bank.in zone undergoes stringent verification before it is approved. The objective is straightforward: Make it significantly harder for fraudulent websites to impersonate legitimate banks. Currently, 1,298 banks have migrated to the bank.in zone, reflecting the banking sector's growing commitment to strengthening digital trust and protecting customers from online fraud.
{{/usCountry}}When customers see a bank.in website, they should have confidence that they are interacting with an authentic banking institution.
The importance of secure digital identity extends well beyond the banking sector. Today, fintech platforms, government services, e-commerce, healthcare, and education are all interconnected. A security weakness in one part of the digital ecosystem can have cascading effects across others. Cybersecurity, therefore, must be embedded into the very design of our digital infrastructure rather than added later as an afterthought.
A trusted digital ecosystem also depends on a strong internet foundation. Reliable internet exchanges, a secure Domain Name System (DNS), wider adoption of IPv6, and effective internet governance are all critical building blocks. India has already emerged as a global leader in IPv6 adoption, with nearly 78.74% penetration, creating the capacity required to support billions of connected devices and enabling the next generation of smart cities and digital public services. India achieved 83.88% one of the world's highest ROA (Route Origin Authorisation) deployments making the Internet more secure and future-ready.
None of this can be achieved in isolation. Governments, regulators, banks, technology companies, and industry bodies must continue working together to strengthen India's cyber resilience. As cyber threats evolve rapidly, our security standards, technological capabilities, workforce training, and public awareness must evolve just as quickly.
Ultimately, success will be measured by something very simple. Every citizen should be able to access their banking website or application with complete confidence-without questioning whether the URL is genuine. That confidence is what builds trust, encourages digital adoption, and fuels long-term economic growth.
The first 11 years of Digital India demonstrated that India can successfully deliver digital services at scale. The next phase is about ensuring that this ecosystem is secure, stable, trusted, and inclusive. Verified digital identity is a critical pillar of that vision, alongside a stronger and more resilient internet infrastructure. By getting these fundamentals right, India can continue building a digital future that is inclusive, secure, and resilient for every citizen.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Devesh Tyagi, CEO, National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI).