Gmail India domain name issue

Internet search engine giant Google Inc has won ownership of domain name ‘gmail.co.in’ as an arbitrator appointed by National Internet Exchange of India has directed a Chinese national to transfer the portal address in its favour.

Google Inc, which launched its website ‘gmail’ in April 2004 worldwide, applied for the registration of the mark in India in 2005. The company had filed a complaint before NIXI seeking transfer of domain name ‘gmail.co.in’ when it came to know that the address was registered by a Chinese national.

The arbitrator observed that Zhaoyang registered a company “Gmail Ltd” only after the complaint was filed by Google and the domain name “gmail.co.in” was transfered to the company one day later.