Richard Veenstra hit five big finishes of over 100, including a top score of 144, but Nitin Kumar was calmer and more consistent, feeding off strong support from the Alexandra Palace crowd.
Three-time BDO world champion Glen Durrant said on Sky Sports it was one of the best matches he has ever commentated on, highlighting both the quality of the game and its huge importance for Indian darts.
Earlier, world number 27 Ritchie Edhouse was knocked out 3-0 by debutant Jonny Tata, while fellow seed Joe Cullenavoided the same fate with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bradley Brooks, averaging 99.33.
Another debutant, Dom Taylor, also progressed with a 3-0 win over Oskar Lukasiak, finishing the match with an impressive 114 checkout.
