Context:
To combat the increasing number of digital payment frauds, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to operationalise the ‘. bank.in’ domain for banks. .
More on the News
- The RBI has asked all banks to commence the migration of their existing domains to the ‘.bank.in’ domain and complete the process by October 31, 2025.
- In February this year, the RBI announced the introduction of the ‘bank.in’, an exclusive internet domain for Indian banks.
Migration to ‘.bank.in’ domain
- A domain name is used to find websites. It is a unique and easy-to-remember address to access websites on the internet.
- The operationalization of the new Internet domain name is through the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) and has been authorised by the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to serve as the exclusive registrar for this domain.
- The ‘.IN’ domain is India’s country code top-level domain (ccTLD), represented by a two-letter suffix at the end of a web address.
- Beyond its technical function, it serves as a marker of national identity in the global digital space.
- Currently, banks are either using ‘.com’ or ‘.co.in’ as their domain name, which is more generic. Till the time banks fully migrate to the new internet domain, they are likely to have both ‘.bank.in’ and their old internet domains.
Rationale behind the domain change
- To combat Digital Fraud: With rising cyber threats in the form of phishing attacks and digital fraud risks, the RBI is introducing the exclusive ‘bank.in’ domain to enhance security.
- To Enhance Public trust: A secure and distinct domain enables customers to easily identify authentic bank websites, thereby reducing fraud and enhancing public trust in digital banking.
- Regulatory compliance: The migration, mandated by the RBI, reflects the government’s commitment to reinforcing financial institutions and safeguarding consumer interests.
- Streamlining Financial services: The initiative seeks to strengthen the digital banking ecosystem by enhancing security and reliability, thereby promoting digital payments and financial inclusion.