Indian IT companies have now got an unique opportunity to market themselves in the international arena by registering themselves with the .IN domain. This is a good way for them to get global recognition and also get domain names relevant to their business, rather then improvising on the ones that were earlier available on the .COM platform.

The concept of 'India Shining', which was brought in during the last elections in 2004 has carried forward its flavor in 2005 as well. The IT sector got a fillip after the .IN domain was opened for companies who wanted to shift from the .COM platform. This .IN can be used in e-mail, web sites and other applications. The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) had set up services to register the .IN domain names of registered Indian trademark companies. So far, 4,122 applications have been registered.

The main reason attributed for the change of domain names is gaining prominence in the international arena. It will give Indian firms an opportunity to establish themselves as a global brand identity on the World Wide Web. This will also give them the needed recognition. Since many companies are also now venturing outside India, this will only help them enhance their roots and their image across the world. Country specific domain names of other countries are already visible on the Internet - like .uk, .us or .au.

KNOW HOW OF .IN
Who can register?
NIXI has appointed four registrars to book the domain names of various companies. They are DirectI, GoodLuckDomains, Net4India and OnlineNIC. Chennai-based Sify has also joined in as a registrar. Organizations can book their exclusive .IN domain with either of these registrars. During the Sunrise period, which was from January 1 to 21, 2005, preference was given to Indian trademarked companies and Indian citizens. From February 16, 2005 onwards, the booking of .IN domain will be open to the general public.

How to register?
Companies or individuals desiring to have an .IN registration can apply for the same online at any of the registrars mentioned above. An application form has to be filled online. The domain name that is applied for has to be identical to the word elements of the trademark service that is registered.

Domain names for DQCI Silver Club Top 25 Solution Providers No Organization name Domain name Availability 1 Wipro Infotech www.wiproinfotech.in 2 CMC www.cmc.in 3 CMS Computers www.cmscomputers.in 4 Datacraft India www.datacraftindia.in 5 Network Solutions www.networksolutions.in 6 Accel ICIM www.accelicim.in 7 Tata Infotech www.tatainfotech.in 8 PCS Industries www.pcsindustries.in 9 Frontier Business Systems www.frontierbusinesssystems.in 10 Apara Enterprise Solutions www.aparaenterprisesolutions.in 11 Tata Consultancy Services www.tataconsultancyservices.in 12 Allied Digital Services www.allieddigitalservices.in 13 Softcell Technologies www.softcelltechnologies.in 14 Team Computers www.teamcomputers.in 15 OA Compserve www.oacompserve.in 16 Tata Elxsi www.tataelxsi.in 17 PC Solutions www.pcsolutions.in 18 Precision Group www.precisiongroup.in 19 Siemens Information Systems www.siemensinformationsystems.in 20 Ramco Systems www.ramcosystems.in 21 Omnitech Infosolutions www.omnitechinfosolutions.in 22 Netlink Business Systems www.netlinkbusinesssystems.in 23 Targus Technologies www.targustechnologies.in 24 Ontrack Solutions www.ontracksolutions.in 25 SK International www.skinternational.in Still available Booked

The Affidavit form has to be downloaded, filled completely and has to be attested. It has to be submitted with the application form. An attested copy of the trademark or service mark registration has to be attached too. All these documents have to be couriered to any of the registrars.

What is the cost?
Going for an .IN domain name will cost Rs 800 per annum. Additionally, a non-refundable fee of Rs 250 for the application would be charged. Under the Sunrise period, it was mandatory to have the domain application for five years. Since the period now is over, the binding no longer remains. However, there are different charges for buying an .IN extension like .NET.IN or .CO.IN. An .IN extension costs Rs 400 per annum, with a separate application fee of Rs 250.

The various extensions that are available with the .IN domain are:

• .CO.IN
• .NET.IN
• .ORG.IN
• .FIRM.I
• .GEN.IN
• .IND.IN

The .IND.IN extension can be used only by individuals who desire to have their own website.

The cost factor becomes prominent when bigger companies block more number of sites. Each site is registered for Rs 800. Those who have registered in the Sunrise period have paid Rs 4,000 for blocking one site for five years. Thus, for companies having more names under its corporate umbrella, booking the .IN domain can be an expensive affair. Don't be surprised if you hear of an organization that spent a couple of lakhs in its bid to go for the .IN registration.

Can I be a Registrar too?
NIXI has posted guidelines to obtain the status of a registrar on its website www.nixi.org. A review committee screens every application that is received. The required criteria are put on the website. The committee decides on awarding the registrar status to a company based on the guidelines. A non-refundable fee of
Rs 50,000 is charged to be a registrar for .IN registration.

The payments made by the registrars are accumulated in an ICICI back account. It is being managed by four people, two of who are of the industry and two of the government. NIXI is looking for registrars outside India also, as a number of people outside would be interested in getting an .IN domain name.

So, if you are an already established name in the industry, or want to establish yourself not just in India, then what are you waiting for? Go right ahead, and wave that virtual tricolor on the World Wide Web.

AMISHI SHAH

Page(s)   1