Intellectual Property

Design registration in India protects the visual appearance of a product, including its shape, configuration, pattern, ornamentation, or composition of lines and colours. The Designs Act, 2000, and the Design Rules, 2001, govern the registration process. This guide covers the eligibility criteria, the filing procedure, fees, and the timeline for obtaining design registration. What Can Be Registered? A design eligible for registration must be new or original, must not have bee

A registered trademark is a valuable business asset, but the protection it gives is not permanent unless you keep it alive. Knowing how to renew a trademark in India ensures your brand does not lapse and fall open to others. Under Section 25 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, a registration lasts ten years and can be renewed for further ten-year terms without limit, so renewal is a routine but essential part of brand management. When a Trademark Must Be Renewed A trademark registr

If the Trade Marks Registry raises a concern about your application, knowing how to reply to a trademark objection in India is essential to keep your brand protected. An objection is not a rejection: it is an opportunity to convince the examiner that your mark deserves registration. This guide explains the examination report, the grounds on which objections are raised, and how to file a strong reply within the deadline. What a Trademark Objection Is After you file an applicat

A trademark is any sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of another. It can be a word, logo, symbol, colour combination, shape, sound, or even a smell. Registering a trademark grants the proprietor the exclusive legal right to use that mark in connection with the goods or services for which it is registered, and to prevent others from using a deceptively similar mark. In a market as vast and competitive as India's, trademark registr

Google is not obliged to proactively police advertisements for trademark misuse and operates within a complaint-based system, the Delhi High Court has held while dismissing a contempt petition by DRS Logistics. The judgment, reported as 2026 DHC 5102 and delivered on 15 June 2026 by Justice Tejas Karia, clarifies the duties of online advertising platforms when third parties use registered trademarks as keywords or in ad text. DRS Logistics, which owns marks associated with Ag

The Madras High Court has granted an interim injunction restraining the makers of the Malayalam film Drishyam 3 from releasing its Telugu dubbed version on OTT platforms. Justice K Kumaresh Babu passed the order on June 17, 2026, in a suit filed by Rajkumar Theatre Pvt Ltd, which claims exclusive remake and exploitation rights over the franchise in the Telugu language territory. The movie had been scheduled for OTT release on June 18, making the timing of the court's interven

Filing a patent in India is governed by the Patents Act, 1970, as amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005, and the Patents Rules, 2003. The Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, operating under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), administers patent registration. India follows a first-to-file system, making timely filing critical. This guide covers the complete process from application to grant. What Can Be Patented in Ind

The Delhi High Court has ruled that the term "GLASS SKIN" is descriptive and cannot function as a trademark for cosmetic products. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, hearing Renee Cosmetics Private Limited v Rupali Sharma and others, held that the expression merely describes a desired outcome of skincare products and is therefore barred from registration under Section 9(1)(b) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The ruling has significant implications for branding in the beauty industry. Fo

The Delhi High Court has cancelled a copyright registration for an artistic label, holding that copyright cannot be used as a back door to claim rights over a trademark that is itself disputed. In Fortune Marketing Private Limited v. Gujarat Pesticides and Others, decided on 29 May 2026, the Court revoked the registration of the ZOOOK label and reinforced the safeguards built into India's copyright law. The decision is significant for brand owners because it clarifies the bou

Copyright protects original creative works such as books, articles, music, art, software, films and sound recordings. In India, copyright protection arises automatically the moment an original work is created, but registering the work provides valuable proof of ownership that is useful in disputes and enforcement. This guide explains how to register a copyright in India under the Copyright Act, 1957 and the Copyright Rules, 2013, covering Form XIV, the fees by category of wor

The Ministry of Home Affairs has notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing a comprehensive digital platform for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders. The amended rules, which came into effect in April 2026, establish the e-OCI portal as the primary mechanism for OCI registration, renewal, and miscellaneous services. The new framework aims to streamline the OCI process, reduce processing times, and eliminate the requirement for physical visits to Ind

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed Flipkart's special leave petition challenging the Delhi High Court's injunction that restrained the e-commerce giant from using the trademark MARQ and MARQ by Flipkart for its private-label electronics brand. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi declined to interfere with the lower court orders, but granted Flipkart eight weeks to exhaust its existing inventory bearing the impugned mark. The dispute was broug

On April 10, 2026, the Delhi High Court delivered an important judgment in First Appeal FAO-IPD 46/2021 (Flipkart India v. Marc Enterprises) that upheld an interim injunction restraining Flipkart from using the mark 'MARQ' in its commerce. The Court held that 'MARQ' is deceptively similar to the respondent's registered trademark 'MARC' and would likely cause confusion among consumers. This decision is a significant development in trademark law, particularly for e-commerce pla

The Delhi High Court has articulated refined principles governing injunction relief in trademark infringement disputes through its March 2026 decision in Mahindra and Mahindra Limited v. Diksha Sharma. The judgment addresses the dynamic injunction doctrine, which permits courts to refine injunction scope based on evolving factual circumstances. Rather than issuing blanket prohibitions, courts now craft proportionate relief addressing identified infringement risks while preser

When an inventor develops an innovation during employment, who owns the patent—the company or the individual? A landmark 2026 Delhi High Court ruling has brought much-needed clarity to this question, resolving conflicting judicial opinions on the validity of employment agreements as proof of ownership rights in patent applications. Understanding Patent Ownership Rights Under India's Patents Act, 1970, the right to file a patent application belongs to the true and first inve

Indian trademark law has expanded dramatically in 2026 to protect non-traditional marks, moving beyond the traditional text and logo-based trademarks that dominated the early 20th century. The Trademark Rules, 2025 amendments now explicitly recognize sound marks (musical jingles and sonic branding), motion marks (animated logos and movement patterns), color combination marks (signature color schemes), and scent marks (distinctive fragrances). This modernization aligns India w

India's intellectual property ecosystem is experiencing unprecedented growth. From 2020-21 to 2024-25, overall IP filings increased 44 percent, surging from 4,77,533 to 6,89,991 applications. The growth is not uniform across categories: Geographical Indications registered a 380% increase, Designs surged 266%, Patents grew 180%, and Copyright filings expanded 83%, while Trademarks increased 28%. On March 9, 2026, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal launched a revamped IP India webs

India's Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force on 15 September 2003, provides legal protection to products that owe their quality, reputation, or other characteristic to their geographical origin. From Darjeeling tea and Basmati rice to Madhubani paintings and Kanchipuram silk, over 600 Indian products now carry GI status, making India one of the most active countries globally in GI registration. What a GI Tag Means L

Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) are patents that cover technology included in technical standards set by standards-setting organisations. Examples include patents covering 3G, 4G, DVD, and Wi-Fi technology. When a patent covers a standard that has been declared essential to implementing that standard, it becomes a powerful asset but also subject to unique constraints. In January 2026, the Delhi High Court delivered an important judgment concerning SEP enforcement and royalt