Trademarks by foreign firms doubled in 2015-16: Report

NEW DELHI: Trademark applications in the country filed by foreign companies have doubled to 15,670 in 2015-16, reflecting renewed interest in Indian market.

According to the annual report (2015-16) of Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trademarks and Geographical Indications, filing of these applications by Indians too increased to 2.68 lakh in 2015-16 from 2.03 lakh in the previous fiscal.

Experts said the rise in these numbers reflect increase and expansion in the business activities by both domestic and foreign businesses in the country.

"Foreign companies and organisations are seeking more trademark protections in India as compared to domestic players," President of the National Intellectual Property Organisation ( NIPO) T C James said.

Overall, the filing of trademark applications has increased by about 34.5 per cent to 2.83 lakh, the report said.

The main sectors which witness maximum number of these applications include cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, surveying & electrical apparatus, stationary, clothing, beverages, advertising and business management.

Further it said that the number of Geographical Indication (GI) applications filed in 2015-16 dipped to 17 from 47 in the previous fiscal.

The GIs registration was started in India from September 2003.

Under GI law, a product is identified as a good or an item manufactured or produced in a particular region. It enjoys the specific reputation which is attributable to that geographical region.

It is a legal right under which the GI holder can prohibit others from using the same name.

The famous goods which carry this tag include Basmati rice, Darjeeling Tea, Chanderi Fabric, Mysore Silk, Kullu Shawl, Kangra Tea, Thanjavur Paintings, Allahabad Surkha, Farrukhabad Prints, Lucknow Zardozi and Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving.