.in

API commandsExtensionsRestrictionsIDN

Important

2026-05-27 There are newly introduced requirements affecting .IN domain registrations and transfers to new contacts for foreign/non-resident registrants. These requirements were not known or communicated upfront and have only recently been confirmed. As a result, new contacts for foreign/non-resident registrants cannot be used as owners for .IN domain registrations and transfers unless the following extensions are sent:
X-IN-NEXUS-CONNECTION-TYPE: Allowed values: ENTITY | COMM | MKTG | CONTENT | EDU | CULTURE | OTHER

• ENTITY – Indian Business Presence (subsidiary, branch, affiliate, or partnership)
• COMM – Commercial Activity in India (selling products or services)
• MKTG – Marketing or Business Development Targeting India
• CONTENT – Content or Digital Services Targeting Indian Users
• EDU – Educational or Research Activities Involving India
• CULTURE – Cultural or Community Activities Connected to India
• OTHER – Other Business Purpose Connected to India (may trigger an earlier audit)

X-IN-NEXUS-DECLARATION: Allowed values: 0 | 1
Indicates that the domain holder has signed a Declaration of Nexus (connection) to India, corresponding to the value given in the extension above.

Starting with 2025-10-15, we are switching TLD .IN to a different provider, in order to remain compliant with all recently announced requirements by registry NIXI, without any code-breaking changes. This implies the switch should not impact your connection to CentralNic Reseller, from the technical point of view, and NIXI policies can just be announced and required to your end-customers. Compliance remains subject to potential NIXI audits in the future, they are explained in detail in the Restrictions section of this page.

API Commands

Please find in the following a set of the most commonly used standard API commands in order to register, modify, renew, and transfer a domain name.

AddDomainModifyDomainRenewDomainDeleteDomainTransferDomainRestoreDomain

Domain Registration

(API Command reference » AddDomain)

Command

COMMAND
command                    = AddDomain
domain                     = yourdomain.in
period                     = (INT)
ownercontact0              = (CONTACT)
admincontact0              = (CONTACT)
techcontact0               = (CONTACT)
billingcontact0            = (CONTACT)
nameserver0                = (NAMESERVER)
nameserver1                = (NAMESERVER)

for foreign/non-resident registrants
X-IN-NEXUS-CONNECTION-TYPE = ENTITY | COMM | MKTG | CONTENT | EDU | CULTURE | OTHER
X-IN-NEXUS-DECLARATION     = 0 | 1

After a successful registration of the domain, it will be transfer locked from the registry for a period of 60 days.

Domain Modification

(API Command reference » ModifyDomain)

Command

command = ModifyDomain
domain  = yourdomain.in

Domain Renewal

(API Command reference » RenewDomain)

Command

command    = RenewDomain
domain     = yourdomain.in
period     = (INT)
expiration = (INT)

Domain Deletion

(API Command reference » DeleteDomain)

Command

COMMAND = DeleteDomain
DOMAIN  = yourdomain.in

Domain Transfer

(API Command reference » TransferDomain)

Command

command       = TransferDomain
domain        = yourdomain.in
action        = REQUEST
auth          = (TEXT)
period        = 1
ownercontact0 = (CONTACT)
admincontact0 = (CONTACT)
techcontact0  = (CONTACT)
nameserver0   = (NAMESERVER, required)
nameserver1   = (NAMESERVER, required)
nameserver2   = (NAMESERVER, optional)
nameserver3   = (NAMESERVER, optional)

for foreign/non-resident registrants
X-IN-NEXUS-CONNECTION-TYPE = ENTITY | COMM | MKTG | CONTENT | EDU | CULTURE | OTHER
X-IN-NEXUS-DECLARATION     = 0 | 1

After a successful transfer of the domain, it will be transfer locked from the registry for a period of 60 days.

Domain Restore

(API Command reference » RestoreDomain)

Command

command = RestoreDomain
domain  = yourdomain.in

Domain Extensions

For Foreign/Non-resident Registrants

X-IN-NEXUS-CONNECTION-TYPE

ENTITY – Indian Business Presence (subsidiary, branch, affiliate, or partnership) COMM – Commercial Activity in India (selling products or services) MKTG – Marketing or Business Development Targeting India CONTENT – Content or Digital Services Targeting Indian Users EDU – Educational or Research Activities Involving India CULTURE – Cultural or Community Activities Connected to India OTHER – Other Business Purpose Connected to India (may trigger an earlier audit)

X-IN-NEXUS-DECLARATION

0 | 1 – Indicates that the domain holder has signed a Declaration of Nexus (connection) to India, corresponding to the value given in the extension.

Registry NIXI Requirements (To Be Forwarded to End-customers)

KYC Requirements

Registrants must provide documents to support the accuracy of their registration data. The following documents can be used:

1. For applicants from India
   • Passport
   • Voter’s Identity Card issued by the Election Commission of India
   • Driving License
   • Aadhaar card
   • PAN Card
   • any other official identification card issued by the Government of India
2. For foreign nationals
   • Passport
   • Driving License
   • Documents issued by the Government Departments of foreign jurisdiction
   • Letter issued by the Foreign Embassy or Mission of India
   • Income tax returns of the last two years or
   • any other government issued photo identification proof such as, social security numbers, issued by the respective government of the foreign nationals

This documentation must be maintained by the reseller for the duration of the registration and provided to CentralNic Reseller upon request (in case of registry audit). Failure to collect this data may result in the deletion of all affected domain names or the suspension of the right to register and/or renew .IN domain names through our service.

Documentation of Intent for Foreign Applicants

Applicants not from India must submit a signed declaration to demonstrate a legitimate business connection or purpose connected to India. The document must be provided to CentralNic Reseller upon request (in case of registry audit).

Examples of business connection or purpose might include:

• Having customers in India
• Operating an Indian subsidiary or branch
• Selling products/services to Indian consumers
• Marketing efforts targeting India
• Partnerships with Indian businesses

Ensure that the declaration includes the following:

• Domain name (list all domains to which this document applies)
• Company/Registrant name
• Country of Registration
• Clear statement of business or operational connection to India
• Signed by the owner or highest authority of the company

Proxy / Local Presence

Using Trustee / Local Presence to camouflage contact data is not allowed.

Prohibition of Temporary Email Addresses

The Registry explicitly prohibits the use of temporary email addresses at any point. Email addresses provided by the following providers are not allowed:

• Guerrilla Mail (https://www.guerrillamail.com)
• 10 Minute Mail Website (https://10minutemail.com)
• Temp Mail (https://temp-mail.org)
• Mailinator (https://www.mailinator.com)
• EmailOnDeck (https://www.emailondeck.com)
• ProtonMail (https://proton.me/mail)
• Tutanota (https://tutanota.com)
• Mailfence (https://mailfence.com)
• Hushmail (https://www.hushmail.com)
• StartMail (https://www.startmail.com)

Record of IP-Logs

As a reseller, you will have to store comprehensive records of all IP logs associated with the registration and management of .IN domain names.

The following information must be included:

• IP addresses
• timestamps
• relevant activity logs of all interactions between your system and the registered domain names/registrant’s system.

The data must be stored for a minimum period of domain life plus 90 days.

Restriction on VPN Use

Resellers will have to implement and maintain technical measures to prevent the registration of .IN domains through virtual private networks (VPNs).

Supported IDN Scripts

The following IDN scripts are supported by .in.
Provide the LANGUAGE TAG corresponding to your desired IDN within the AddDomain command as X-IDN-LANGUAGE extension.

n/a	guj-Gujr
n/a	ben-Beng
n/a	snd-Deva
n/a	mni-Beng
n/a	mar-Deva
n/a	tel-Telu
n/a	pan-Guru
n/a	brx-Deva
n/a	mai-Deva
n/a	dgo-Deva
n/a	nep-Deva
n/a	hin-Deva
n/a	urd-Arab
n/a	knn-Deva
n/a	tam-Taml

Get more information of “IDN tables”, which represent permitted code points (letters) allowed for Internationalised Domain Name registrations in particular registries on IANA Repository of IDN Practices.