PANEL AFFIRMS RESPONDENT’S RIGHT TO REGISTER DICTIONARY WORD DOMAIN, DESPITE PRE-EXISTING TRADEMARK

https://www.internetcommerce.org/udrp-case-summaries/panel-affirms-respondents-right-to-register-dictionary-word-domain-despite-pre-existing-trademark-vol-3-15/#gagglecom

The Respondent, a Domain Name investor, purchased the disputed Domain Name on September 19, 2019. The disputed Domain Name resolves to a parked landing page that contains a link to inquire about the purchase of the disputed Domain Name, as well as other pay-per-click hyperlinks.

INDRP domain name disputes for .IN / .CO.IN needs more support for Domain Name investors who are legitimately engaging in domain name sales . Recent decisions have gone in favour of domain investors - see Tickets.in dispute for example

Domain investment is a legitimate business! While there may be fraudsters misusing domain names, there are legitimate domain investors who buy & sell for profit. Just like any other business, it requires market understanding, research & compliance with laws. https://tmlawyer.in/2023/04/09/domain-investment-a-legitimate-business/

Indian Govt looks to attract MSMEs to Indian internet domain .in with these incentives.

Technology for MSMEs: “Ownership of adoption of .in internet domain is aimed for building internet infrastructure and related services within the country for non-stop availability of internet services, at any stage, in any situation,” MeitY said.

https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/sme/msme-tech-govt-looks-to-attract-msmes-to-indian-internet-domain-in-with-these-incentives/3022445/

In India, the most popular domain name extensions are .in, .co.in, and .com. Here's a brief overview of each:

1. .in - The .in extension is the official country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for India. It is widely used by businesses, organizations, and individuals in India.

2. .co.in - The .co.in extension is a second-level domain (SLD) under .in, which is commonly used by businesses that operate in India. It is a popular choice for companies that want to establish a local presence in India.

3. .com - The .com extension is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) that is widely used worldwide, including in India. It is a popular choice for businesses that want to establish a global online presence.

Other domain name extensions that are commonly used in India include .net, .org, and .edu.in (used by educational institutions in India). However, .in, .co.in, and .com are by far the most popular and widely recognized domain extensions in India.

Domain Name Opus.co.in was reported to have sold on the platform Daaz , for $2100 . Meanwhile based on Whois information, Opus.in was also in transfer mode. A quick check on google revealed that Opus.in was listed fro $2980 on Sedo website, although we have no confirmation yet. This sale could be released in the coming week.

Either way, both domains appear to be purchased by same buyer, adding to strategy that all brands should acquire both .in and .co.in extensions upfront. Not doing so , could lead to brand confusion in the marketplace and possible domain name disputes in the future. Internet users in India are familiar with both domain extensions and could type in either extensions as a matter of habit.

A quick check on .com domain shows that Opus.com is listed for sale for a price of over $2 million. Using various factors such as Domain Name extensions registered, overall search volume, brandable domain strength and rarity of the domain name, one could argue the sale prices for .in and .co.in are quite low and its a steal for the buyer.