Copyright
Perspectives on copyright across India and the subcontinent.
20 July 2026
Zee v. Nykaa: Instagram's Music Library Is Not a Commercial Licence
Zee sued Nykaa over twelve Instagram reels using its copyrighted songs, seeking around ₹2 crore. The platform's blanket licence with Meta covers personal, non-commercial use — which is precisely what a brand's promotional reel is not.
7 July 2026
The Supreme Court Settles the Section 15(2) Copyright–Design Conundrum: Cryogas v. Inox
When does an artistic work lose copyright by being industrially applied? The Supreme Court in Cryogas v. Inox laid down a two-pronged test — is it a pure artistic work, and if not, does the 'functional utility' test make it a design? — bringing long-awaited clarity.
3 July 2026
Vodafone Idea v. IPRS: Authors' Royalty Rights Reaffirmed
A music-label licence isn't enough. The Calcutta High Court held that using songs for caller tunes and ringtones needs a licence from IPRS too — because lyricists' and composers' rights in the underlying works are independent of the sound-recording owner's.
Keerthana K · 28 January 2026
DPIIT's 'One Nation, One License, One Payment' for AI Training: What It Means for Creators
DPIIT has proposed a blanket, opt-out-free licence letting AI developers train on all copyrighted works — with statutory royalties paid after commercialisation. What the working paper proposes, what it means for creators, and how to prepare now.
Oruj Aashna · 19 March 2025
Is Intellectual Property 'Property' Under the SC/ST Atrocities Act?
When researchers' laptops and data were seized during an alleged caste-based eviction, the courts had to decide whether intellectual property counts as 'property' under the SC/ST Act. The answer, upheld by the Supreme Court: yes.
Adlin Mini M · 26 September 2024
Goa's Wedding-Music Circular and the Section 52(1)(za) Copyright Fight
Goa told police that wedding music needs no copyright NOC, citing the 'religious ceremony' exemption. The Bombay High Court struck the circular down as ultra vires — the executive cannot rewrite the Copyright Act by circular.
Adlin Mini M and Keerthana K · 9 September 2024
The Jan Vishwas Act, 2023: What Changed for IP Law in India
The Jan Vishwas Act decriminalised a swathe of IP offences from 1 August 2024 — replacing imprisonment with fines and turnover-linked penalties across the Patents, Trade Marks, Copyright and GI Acts.
Khushboo Agarwal · 6 August 2024
Arijit Singh v. Codible: Personality Rights Against AI Voice Cloning
The Bombay High Court protected singer Arijit Singh against AI tools cloning his voice and likeness without consent — a landmark for celebrity personality rights in the age of generative AI.
4 June 2024
The Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024: What's New
India's film-certification rules got a major update — online applications via e-cinepramaan, faster timelines, perpetual certificate validity, new age-based UA sub-categories (7+, 13+, 16+), accessibility features, and greater representation for women on the Board.
Ramani KS · 27 July 2023
No Royalties for Music at Weddings: The DPIIT Public Notice
Section 52(1)(za) exempts performance of musical works during religious ceremonies — and expressly includes marriage processions and associated social festivities. DPIIT directed copyright societies to stop collecting royalties for them.
Rohit Magesh · 21 December 2022
India Is Losing Its Rank in the 'Ease of Piracy' — and That's Good
Software piracy was once almost frictionless in India. Not any more: a run of Delhi High Court judgments — ₹20 lakh against one infringer, ₹30 lakh against another — signals courts are done being lenient. Why businesses should switch to licensed or open-source software now.
Raja Pannir Selvam · 20 December 2022
Microsoft Wins 12-Year Software Piracy Case: Injunction and Damages
The Delhi High Court found a company using Microsoft software on 130 machines beyond its licences, and awarded ₹20 lakh in damages plus a permanent injunction. A reminder that under-licensing is copyright infringement — and that refusing an audit doesn't help.