Centre Shifts 1.2 Million Official Email Accounts

The Indian central government has completed a significant digital infrastructure project, migrating the email IDs of 1.2 million employees to a new platform. This transition was managed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the government’s technology arm. The new email service is provided by the Indian technology company Zoho as part of the ‘Govmail’ initiative.

The primary objective of this migration is to enhance the security of official communications and ensure data sovereignty by hosting all information within India. The project, which has been in progress for over a year, provides employees with new email addresses using the @gov.in or @nic.in domains.

Zoho’s Platform and Deployment Details

The government selected Zoho’s platform, which is deployed within the NIC’s own data centres. This ensures that government data remains under its direct control and resides within the country’s geographical boundaries. The platform is not a simple email service but an integrated suite of tools designed for modern workplace collaboration.

The solution includes features such as secure email, instant messaging chat, audio and video conferencing capabilities, a calendar for scheduling, and task management tools. The selection of Zoho, an Indian company known for its security features, aligns with the government’s focus on promoting domestic technology and maintaining control over sensitive official data.