🔐 .IN Domain WHOIS Privacy – Complete & Transparent Guide Print

Many domain owners want their personal and business information to remain private after registering a domain. This concern is valid, especially in an era of spam, data scraping, and identity misuse.

This article explains how WHOIS privacy works for .IN domains, what information is visible publicly, what is masked, and what you can realistically expect when you register or transfer a .IN domain with Domain India.

📌 Who Governs .IN Domains?

The .IN domain extension is governed by the entity["organization","National Internet Exchange of India","domain registry india"] (NIXI). Unlike generic extensions such as .COM, the privacy rules for .IN domains are defined at the registry level, not by individual registrars.

This is a crucial point:

Registrars cannot override or bypass .IN registry privacy policies.

🔍 What Is WHOIS?

WHOIS is a public database that displays ownership and technical details of a domain name, such as:

• Registrant name and organization

• Address and country

• Contact email and phone number

• Registrar details

• Domain creation and expiry dates

• Name servers and domain status

Because WHOIS data is public, privacy protection is essential.

❗ Important Truth About .IN Domain Privacy

The .IN registry does NOT support full WHOIS proxy privacy (where all details are replaced with proxy data, as seen in .COM domains).

This means:

• ❌ Fake or proxy contact details are not allowed

• ❌ Registrar-controlled privacy replacement is not allowed

• ❌ Complete anonymization like .COM is not possible

However, this does NOT mean your data is publicly exposed.

✅ What Privacy Protection EXISTS for .IN Domains?

The .IN registry mandates WHOIS data masking for sensitive personal information.

When a domain is registered or transferred to entity["organization","Domain Registration India Pvt Ltd","indian domain registrar"], the public WHOIS record typically shows:

Registrant Name: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
Registrant Street: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
Registrant City: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
Registrant State/Province: Tamil Nadu
Registrant Postal Code: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
Registrant Country: IN
Registrant Phone: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
Registrant Email: Please query the RDDS service of the Registrar of Record

✔️ What Is Hidden?

• Full name

• Street address

• Phone and fax numbers

• Email address

✔️ What May Still Be Visible?

• Country

• State (in some cases)

• Registrar name

• Domain dates and name servers

This is the maximum privacy allowed under .IN registry rules.

🛡️ What Is RDDS and Why Is It Important?

RDDS (Registration Data Disclosure Service) is a controlled access mechanism used by registrars.

Instead of exposing your email publicly:

• WHOIS displays an RDDS reference

• Legitimate requests are routed through the registrar

• Registrant details are disclosed only when legally required

This protects domain owners from:

• Spam

• Phishing attempts

• Data scraping

• Unauthorised contact

🏢 Privacy When Registering or Transferring with Domain India

When you choose Domain India for your .IN domain:

🔐 Registry-Compliant Privacy

• Personal details masked as REDACTED FOR PRIVACY

• Email address fully protected via RDDS

• No public exposure of sensitive information

🔒 Strong Domain Security

• Domain lock enabled (clientTransferProhibited)

• Secure client area access

• Controlled modification permissions

🧾 Responsible Data Handling

• Registrant data stored securely

• No third-party marketing misuse

• Compliance with Indian regulations

🔄 What Happens During a .IN Domain Transfer?

When a .IN domain is transferred:

• Transfer fee = 1-year renewal fee

• Domain validity is extended by +1 year

• WHOIS privacy masking remains intact

• No downtime if name servers are unchanged

Privacy behavior remains exactly the same after transfer.

🆚 .IN vs .COM – Privacy Comparison

🤔 Why Can’t .IN Offer Full WHOIS Privacy?

Because:

• .IN is a country-code domain (ccTLD)

• Subject to Indian regulatory oversight

• Registry prioritizes traceability with controlled disclosure

This model balances:

• Individual privacy

• Legal accountability

• National policy compliance

✅ Is .IN Privacy Safe for Businesses and Individuals?

Yes.

Even without full proxy privacy:

• Your identity is protected

• Your email is not exposed

• Direct contact is blocked

• Legal disclosure happens only when required

For most users, this level of privacy is secure and sufficient.

📌 Final Summary

• .IN domains do not support full WHOIS proxy privacy

• Sensitive data is masked as REDACTED FOR PRIVACY

• RDDS protects registrant contact information

• Domain India follows 100% registry-compliant privacy practices

• Same privacy standards apply across all .IN registrars

If you need further clarification or assistance with .IN domain registration, transfer, or privacy, please submit a support request through our client area.