NICNET Services represent a satellite-based nationwide computer-communication network, which can also be referred to as a Wide Area Network (WAN). The National Informatics Centre (NIC), which is a division of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), operates this particular network.
Establishing institutional connections across all Ministries/Departments of the Central Government, State Governments, Union Territories, and District administrations of the country, NICNET hosts government email addresses, distributed across various mail servers located at different NIC Centres.
Recent Developments and Selected Master System Integrator
Notably, the MeitY recently approved bids from six companies for providing email cloud solutions for the Government. The chosen companies – Larsen & Toubro, Infosys, Softline, Zoho, Railtel, and Rediffmail – were selected following a request for proposal (RFP) issued in March 2023. The RFP was targeted towards selecting a Master System Integrator (MSI).
Pilot Projects: Testing Alternate Email Providers
To confirm the reliability of these alternate email providers, the government is currently conducting pilot projects with Microsoft Office 365 and Zoho. Microsoft tests are involving 7,036 email users in the railways. Meanwhile, Zoho is running test trials on 6,825 email users, specifically within significant Ministries like MeitY, the Department of Technology, and the NIC itself.
The RFP Issued by the Digital India Corporation
The Digital India Corporation’s RFP stipulates the need for a robust cloud-based email solution. This entails email hosting and management on remote servers accessed via the internet. A cloud-based email solution provides a scalable, cost-efficient alternative for businesses and individuals.
The RFP focuses on elements such as data security, privacy, use of innovative technologies, and importantly, the involvement of the private sector in managing government email services. To ensure data sovereignty and security, the RFP is adamant that the proposed email solution is hosted within India.
Benefits of Private Sector Involvement in Government Email Services
The government acknowledges the advantages offered by the private sector in effective communication systems management. It aims to boost the efficiency and productivity of its internal communication processes by involving private companies while also ensuring strong cybersecurity and cloud security mechanisms.
In line with the government’s digital transformation agenda, this project envisions moving nearly 3.3 million government employees registered on NIC to an email service hosted on a secure cloud. This provides them with various office productivity tools, collaboration features, and services such as video conferencing and chat.
By partnering with private companies, the government is able to leverage scalable solutions adaptable to its large workforce and evolving needs while emphasizing the importance of hosting email services within India’s boundaries for data sovereignty and enhanced security. The utilization of AI models and prompt notification of cyber-attacks further reinforce these security measures.