Potential Impact on .IN Domain Websites if India Officially Adopts “Bharat”
- The debate over India’s potential name change to “Bharat” sparks nationwide discussion.
- Questions arise about the fate of websites with “.IN” domains as India considers a new official name.
- Top-Level Domains like “.IN” crucial in identifying a website’s geographic location and audience targeting.
The recent use of “President of Bharat” on official G20 Summit invitations has ignited a nationwide debate as India considers the possibility of officially adopting “Bharat” as its name. While the political implications of this move continue to be hotly discussed, a less obvious consequence is emerging – the fate of websites with the “.IN” domain.
Top-Level Domains (TLDs) play a crucial role in identifying the geographic location of websites. They assist businesses in targeting specific audiences and aid users in finding information related to a particular country or region. India’s “.IN” TLD has become synonymous with Indian online presence, much like “.UK” for the United Kingdom, “.CN” for China, and “.US” for the United States.
Additionally, certain subdomains like “gov.in” and “mil.in” are exclusively reserved for government use, reinforcing the association of “.IN” with India’s online identity.
However, if India were to officially change its name to “Bharat,” questions arise about the future of these domain names. The available options for a new TLD, such as “.BR” or “.BH,” are already claimed by Brazil and Bahrain, respectively, and “.BT” belongs to Bhutan. One potential solution could be the adoption of a longer TLD, possibly “.BHRT” or “.BHARAT.”
It’s essential to note that any change in the nomenclature of these websites would not affect their operations or existence. Users would still be able to access them as usual. The shift would primarily be in the domain names themselves, reflecting the new official name of the country.
While the debate over whether India should become “Bharat” continues to unfold in the political arena, the fate of the “.IN” domain remains uncertain. As the nation grapples with this decision, the technology industry, website owners, and internet users await further developments with keen interest.
Countries That Have Altered Their Names in Recent Years
North Macedonia: Formerly known as the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,” it changed its name to the “Republic of North Macedonia” in 2019 to resolve a long-standing dispute with Greece.
Eswatini: Formerly known as “Swaziland,” it officially changed its name to the “Kingdom of Eswatini” in 2018.
Czech Republic: Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, it changed its name from the “Czech Republic” to “Czechia” in 2016 for simplification and branding purposes, although both names are still in use.
Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire): While not a recent name change, it’s worth noting that the official name of this country in French is “Côte d’Ivoire,” and this name has been consistently used internationally.
