12.68 lakh govt email accounts migrated to Zoho, Lok Sabha informed

The Indian government has successfully transitioned approximately 12.68 lakh official email accounts from various ministries and departments to a cloud-based platform developed by Zoho. According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), 7.45 lakh of these accounts are associated with Central government employees. Minister of State for MeitY, Jitin Prasada, confirmed this information in a written reply to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. With over 50.14 lakh Central government employees, the migration process was facilitated by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), which is the authorized provider of official email services for government entities. Prasada highlighted that the contract with Zoho guarantees that the government retains ownership of all data and intellectual property generated during this collaboration. This agreement also includes provisions for data continuity and rollback if necessary. The government selected Zoho as the Master System Integrator (MSI), ensuring a robust, cloud-based email solution that can efficiently serve all government users. The migration not only involves transitioning existing accounts but also includes the integration of modern office productivity tools, such as word processors and spreadsheets, to enhance operational efficiency. In 2023, MeitY issued a tender to replace the existing NIC email system with a secure cloud service, leading to Zoho being awarded the contract. While Prasada did not disclose the total costs associated with the migration—including expenses for software licenses, infrastructure, and training—he emphasized the rigorous security architecture implemented to safeguard sensitive government data. This includes mandatory encryption of all email data both at rest and in transit, adhering to RSA 256 and TLS 1.3 standards. Zoho Mail, a secure email service developed by the Chennai-based Zoho Corporation, aims to provide reliable communication solutions. The company, co-founded by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Tomas in 1996, has a long history in the technology sector, focusing on creating innovative products and solutions. In a notable endorsement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently switched his official email to Zoho Mail, sharing his new address publicly for transparency and future communication.