Trademarks
Perspectives on trademarks across India and the subcontinent.
Raja Pannir Selvam · 11 March 2013
Trademark Dilution in India: Protecting Famous Marks Beyond Confusion
Dilution lets a famous mark's owner stop uses that erode its distinctiveness or tarnish it — even without confusion. How blurring and tarnishment work, what Section 29(4) requires, and why 'reputation' may be too low a bar.
Ritika Agarwal · 11 March 2013
Series Trademarks in India: Protecting a Family of Marks
A family of marks sharing a common element — the 'Mc' in McDonald's, the 'Vol' in Voltas — can be registered and protected together. What a series trademark is, and how India's Section 15 limits it.
6 February 2013
Scandalous and Obscene Trademarks: Where's the Line?
Indian law bars registering marks with 'scandalous or obscene' matter — but what crosses the line? The Trade Marks Manual says merely distasteful is fine; only marks that cause public outrage, or contain nudity/explicit content, are refused. And an examiner can miss a meaning they don't know.
Raja Pannir Selvam · 10 January 2013
How to Register a Trademark in India: A Step-by-Step Guide
From what a trademark is to filing, examination, publication and registration — a practical walkthrough of the Indian trademark process. Search first, file on Form TM-A, answer the examination report, clear publication, and renew every 10 years.
Navarre Roy · 20 December 2012
Using RTI to Unstick a Delayed Trademark Application
When a trademark application sits idle at the Registry, the Right to Information Act is a surprisingly effective lever. How a well-aimed RTI puts accountability — and a 30-day clock — on the officer handling your file.