The Government of India has recognised email as a critical channel of official communication and is upgrading its legacy system to a secure, scalable cloud-based platform. The upgrade is being implemented through Zoho Corporation Ltd., a reputed Indian software services provider selected via an open competitive process.

The new model enables timely upgrades, rapid scaling, seamless migration of existing accounts and integration with modern office productivity tools such as word processors, spreadsheets and presentation software.

A rigorous security architecture has been defined to protect sensitive government data. All email data must be encrypted both at rest and in transit, with mandatory end-to-end encryption based on RSA 256 and TLS 1.3 standards.

The service provider must comply with stringent security certifications, including ISO 27001, ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO 27018. Key technical safeguards include multi-factor authentication for users across all protocols (Web, IMAP, SMTP, POP and Calendar), geo-fencing, IP-based restrictions and industry-standard anti-spoofing policies.

The platform is fully integrated with NIC-CERT’s Security Information and Event Management system. It also includes multi-factor authentication, mobile device management and advanced threat protection measures to defend against phishing, malware and data loss.

Data sovereignty is a central requirement. Zoho must ensure that all data — including that stored in primary and disaster recovery centres — remains within India, with no replication or transfer outside the country. As an Indian-registered entity governed by Indian law, Zoho meets these conditions. The contract reinforces the Government’s commitment to Make in India, ensuring full ownership of all data and intellectual property created.

The service is designed for high reliability, with a mandated uptime of at least 99.9 per cent on a 24×7×365 basis. Disaster recovery sites must be located in separate seismic zones at least 500 kilometres apart, supported by strict recovery time and recovery point objectives to minimise data loss during emergencies.

The Government clarified that Arattai, Zoho’s messaging platform, is not part of the email solution.

This information was provided by Shri Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, in the Rajya Sabha on 5 December 2025.