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RBI Advises Payment System Operators to Migrate to IPv6, Report Progress by March 30, 2013

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/344 · issued 20 Dec 2012 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI advises all payment system operators to migrate from IPv4 to IPv6 at the earliest, aligning with the National Telecom Policy 2012. A special team must be formed, and progress reported by March 30, 2013. This ensures readiness for broadband expansion and address exhaustion.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

["A chief technology officer at a bank in Mumbai is tasked with forming a special team to migrate the bank's payment systems from IPv4 to IPv6. The team works diligently to complete the migration and reports their progress to RBI by the deadline. This ensures that the bank's digital payment services remain uninterrupted and customer access is maintained."]

What changed

RBI issued a circular on December 20, 2012, advising all payment system operators authorized under the PSS Act, 2007, to migrate from IPv4 to IPv6. The migration is in line with the government's Broadband on Demand goal and IPv4 address exhaustion. Operators must form a special team and update RBI on progress by March 30, 2013.

What it means for you

Banks and payment operators should prioritize IPv6 migration to avoid service disruptions as IPv4 addresses run out. This aligns with the National Telecom Policy 2012 and government directives. Non-compliance could impact digital payment services and customer access. Early action ensures seamless broadband integration and future-proofing.

What you must do

Who it affects

All payment system operators authorized under PSS Act, 2007

❓ Common questions

Why is IPv6 migration necessary for payment systems?

IPv4 addresses are nearly exhausted, and the government's Broadband on Demand plan by 2015 relies on IPv6. Migration ensures uninterrupted digital payment services and supports future broadband growth.

What is the deadline for reporting progress?

RBI requires all payment system operators to report migration progress by March 30, 2013. The migration itself should be completed at the earliest.

Who can I contact for technical help on IPv6?

Shri R M Agarwal, DDG (NT), Department of Telecommunications, is heading the support team. His mobile number is 9868133440.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/344 DPSS.CO.AD.No.984/02.27.005/2012-13 December 20, 2012 The President / Managing Director / CEO All Payment System Operators Authorised under the PSS Act, 2007 Madam / Dear Sir, Broadband on Demand - Migration from IPv4 to IPv6 As you may be aware the Government has envisaged providing “Broadband on Demand” by 2015 in the recently unveiled National Telecom Policy (NTP) – 2012 emphasizing the role of Internet as catalyst for socio-economic development of a country and serving as an effective medium of various citizen centric services in today’s information economy. Since the current version of Internet Protocol (IPv4) has almost run out of addresses, the broadband revolution will ride on next generation Internet Protocol (IPv6). The NTP-2012 recognizes the futuristic role of IPv6 and aims to achieve substantial transition to IPv6 in the country. 2. Department of Telecommunication under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Government of India has undertaken the initiative of migration from IPv4 to IPv6. Since migration to IPv6 is an eventuality that has to be accepted and manage proactively, Government wants it to be done in a planned manner. They have expressed that the migration of all payment gateways, banks, financial institutions, insurance companies etc. including their web sites should be completed at the earliest. 3. We accordingly advise you to initiate necessary action by constituting a special team to complete the migration at the earliest and keep us informed of the progress made by March 30, 2013. 4. In case any clarification / assistance needed on IPv6 implementation, kindly contact Shri R M Agarwal, DDG (NT), DoT (Mobile number 9868133440) who is heading the team which is providing relevant support to all stakeholders. Please acknowledge receipt of this circular. Yours faithfully, (G Srinivas) General Manager-in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/344 · issued 20 Dec 2012. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Who does what — compliance checklist
💻 IT / Systems
  • Form a special team to lead IPv6 migration for all payment systems and websites.
📜 Compliance
  • Complete migration at the earliest and report progress to RBI by March 30, 2013.
  • Contact Shri R M Agarwal, DDG (NT), DoT at 9868133440 for clarification or assistance.
  • Acknowledge receipt of this circular to RBI.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are an IT/Systems lead at a bank this circular applies to (All payment system operators authorized under PSS Act, 2007), your first concrete step on “RBI Advises Payment System Operators to Migrate to IPv6, Report Progress by March 30, 2013” is: “Form a special team to lead IPv6 migration for all payment systems and websites.” (RBI issued this 20 Dec 2012).

  1. Circular: RBI/2012-13/344 -- RBI Advises Payment System Operators to Migrate to IPv6, Report Progress by March 30, 2013
  2. Issued: 20 Dec 2012
  3. Action required: Form a special team to lead IPv6 migration for all payment systems and websites.
  4. Action required: Complete migration at the earliest and report progress to RBI by March 30, 2013.
  5. Action required: Contact Shri R M Agarwal, DDG (NT), DoT at 9868133440 for clarification or assistance.
  6. Action required: Acknowledge receipt of this circular to RBI.
  7. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  8. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  9. Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.

💬 Banker Discussion

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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly).
Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=7767&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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