Author Archives: Prakhar Rai

Argentina’s Mid-Term Declaration of Use: The Trademark Deadline Foreign Brands Keep Missing

TL;DR: In Argentina you must file a sworn mid-term declaration of use (declaración jurada de uso) between the fifth and sixth anniversary of your trademark registration. Miss it and the law presumes your mark is not in use, which opens it to cancellation by third parties and blocks your renewal until you file it and […]

The Supercap: The Middle Tier of Liability Nobody Explains Until You’re Negotiating One

TL;DR: A supercap is a second, higher liability ceiling that sits above your general cap but below unlimited liability, and it applies only to named high-risk categories such as data breaches, confidentiality, and IP indemnities. It is usually set as a multiple of fees (2x or 3x is common) or a fixed sum, and the […]

The Trademark Mistake Nobody Warns You About: Your Goods and Services Description

featuring a trademark document with an ® seal and a magnifying glass

TL;DR: A surprising number of trademark objections in India come from one avoidable mistake: a vague, non-standard, or free-typed goods and services description. If you write “software” or “all goods in class 25” instead of using clear, standardised terminology, the examiner can object that your specification is too vague to classify. The fix is to […]

Well-Known Trademark Status in India: What It Is and How to Get It

well known trademark status

TL;DR: A well-known trademark in India is one so widely recognised that it is protected across all classes of goods and services, not just the one it is registered in. That cross-class protection is the real prize: it stops others using your name even on completely unrelated products. You can apply for the status directly […]

Passing Off in India: How to Protect an Unregistered Brand

Passing Off in India Protect an Unregistered Brand

TL;DR: Passing off is the common-law remedy that lets you protect a brand you never registered, and even lets a prior user beat someone who registered the same mark later. It is preserved by Section 27(2) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. To win, you must prove three things (the “classic trinity”): that your brand […]

Trademark Infringement in India: What It Is and How to Enforce Your Rights

Trademark Infringement in India What It Is and How to Enforce Your Rights

TL;DR: Trademark infringement happens when someone uses your registered mark, or a deceptively similar one, on the same or similar goods or services in a way likely to confuse customers. It is defined in Section 29 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. If it happens to you, you have real teeth: civil remedies under Section […]

Trademark Status Check in India: What Every Status Means and What to Do

TL;DR: You can check your trademark application status free on the IP India eRegister portal using your application number. The statuses that matter most: “Objected” is not a rejection, it means the examiner has raised objections you must answer within one month. “Accepted & Advertised” does not mean registered, a four-month opposition window is still […]

Trademark Examination Report in India: How to Read It and Reply

TL;DR: A trademark examination report is the Registry’s written notice that your application faces an objection, and it must be answered within one month (30 days) of the report, or your application is treated as abandoned. The most important thing to do first is read which section the objection falls under, because that decides everything. […]

Trademark Rectification and Cancellation in India: The Practical Guide

TL;DR: Rectification and cancellation are the legal routes to remove or correct a registered trademark in India, filed on Form TM-O (₹2,700 e-filing, ₹3,000 physical) before the Registrar, with appeals now going to the High Court since the IPAB was abolished. The main grounds are non-use for five continuous years under Section 47, and wrongful […]