The top-level domain (TLD) xn—3hcrj9c is a unique internet domain suffix encoded in Punycode format. Punycode is a way to represent International Domain Names (IDNs) with the limited character set (A-Z, 0-9) supported by the Domain Name System (DNS). In Punycode, xn—3hcrj9c converts to ‘.भारत’, which is a top-level domain for India in the Devanagari script.
The ‘.भारत’ TLD is part of a larger effort to make the internet more accessible and user-friendly to communities who do not primarily use the Latin alphabet in their written communication. It allows users to navigate and use the internet entirely in their native languages. This TLD is used for websites that are targeted towards Hindi-speaking populations in India and across the world.
The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) manages the ‘.भारत’ domain. According to the India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NIXI is a non-profit organization that promotes the ‘.IN’ internet in India and plays a pivotal role in promoting the Hindi language on the internet through the ‘.भारत’ TLD.
The ‘.भारат’ TLD is an example of an Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) ccTLD (country code TLD). The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization responsible for maintaining the DNS, approved these IDN ccTLDs to increase the ease of access and usage of the internet in non-Latin script languages.
Examples of websites using the ‘.भारत’ TLD could potentially include government websites, organisations, educational institutions, cultural communities, and businesses aiming at Hindi speaking audience. However, as of writing, uptake and usage of this TLD is still growing and expanding.
Punycode and the ‘.भारत’ TLD are significant in making the internet more inclusive of diverse linguistic communities. As per ICANN, IDNs dramatically expand language options on the internet, opening up new opportunities for more people around the world to access the internet in their primary language.
Sources used:
1. “Internationalized Country Code Top-Level Domains”. ICANN. Retrieved from https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/idn-2012-02-25-en.
1. “About NIXI”. National Internet Exchange of India. Retrieved from https://www.nixi.in/en/about-us/about-nixi.
1. “IDNs: An Important Milestone Toward a Multilingual Internet”. ICANN. Retrieved from https://www.icann.org/news/blog/idns-an-important-milestone-toward-a-multilingual-internet.
1. “IDN Code Points Policy for the .IN Registry”. India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Retrieved from https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/IDN_Code_Point_Policy_for_Dot_IN\_Registry.pdf.
