Amazon.com-ing to India

MUMBAI, FEB 17: Amazon.com, the world's largest virtual bookstore, has applied to the National Centre for Software Technology (NCST), for ...

MUMBAI, FEB 17: Amazon.com, the world’s largest virtual bookstore, has applied to the National Centre for Software Technology (NCST), for registering the domain name amazon.co.in, to ensure it is not misused. The “.co.in” name is typcially given only to Indian companies or companies which have an Indian presence.

“The application is under review. Amazon.com has claimed it has an Indian presence,” NCST director S Ramani told The Indian Express. The “.co.in” name is exclusive to India just like “.cn” is exclusive to China, and the NCST is the sole authority for granting it. So far, there has been no precedence where an overseas company like Amazon.com has asked for an Indian registration.

"We do not want a foreign company to masquerade as an Indian company," Ramani said. However, he added there was valid case for amazon.com to register as amazon.co.in with the internet being a global medium.

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The NCST has so far registered around 4,000 names, of which 2,000 belong to academic institutions and research bodies. The rest are India-based companies and portals. The number of companies registering with the NCST has gone up dramatically in the last one year from around 400 to 1,600, following the liberalisation of the ISP sector. Registrations of academic institutions have increased marginally from 1,400 to 2000.

Registration of “.co.in” names are free unlike “.com” names, and regulations govering it are stricter. The “.com”, “.org”, and “.net” domain names have seen rampant misuse in the past. The NCST investigates whether there is a connection between the domain name and the company or trademark before granting a registration. “Indian registration rules are tighter. Domain names are treated on par with trademarks. If anyone comes to us for registration of say, tata.co.in, they should show they have a company called Tata,” Ramani said. Tata.com was in the news sometime back for misuse.

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