Can descriptive trademarks be registered in India?

Descriptive trademarks are those that describe the characteristics, qualities, or features of a product or service. In India, descriptive trademarks can be registered under the Trade Marks Act, 1999, but are subject to certain restrictions and conditions. One of the main restrictions for registering a descriptive trademark in India is that it must have acquired distinctiveness through use. This means that the trademark must have been used for a significant period of time and has become associated with a particular product or service, such that it can be distinguished from other similar trademarks. Another restriction is that descriptive trademarks cannot be registered if they are generic or commonly used terms. For example, words like "fresh" or "natural" that are commonly...

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How to do a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) trademark pre-clearance search in India

India does not have a first-to-file system unlike China and a prior user of a trademark is in an advantageous position and gets rights over a trademark. Therefore, it is imperative that due diligence measures are taken before choosing a trademark.  A trademark clearance search entails ascertaining trademark-ability, similarity and/or conflicts with pending or registered marks that are phonically, visually or conceptually similar to a proposed mark. A well-done trademark clearance search is critically important and constitutes 65% of the whole trademark registration process. Since the trademark process takes about 6 to 12 months until it is finally registered, an applicant after obtaining clearance from a trademark search can proceed to use the brand name, logo or slogan in the...

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How registering in Amazon Brand Registry keeps counterfeits at bay

Amazon Brand Registry has been there for quite some time but in several other forms.  This has undergone a drastic revamping in the later part of 2017. In the era of internet, brand names are more prone to hijacks and deliberate confusion created by counterfeiters than it is in the offline marketplace. Almost every e-commerce company has its intellectual property protection policy in place to offer protection to its vendors and affiliates, but often face great challenges when it comes to cases of parallel importation and infringement. Amazon is not an exception to it, and sellers who sell their products on Amazon also encounter a plethora of issues that pose significant challenges in sales and marketing. Issues are plenty, ranging...

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Xiaomi Infringement Case – an overprotection?

Ericsson, a Swedish MNC, got an ex parte interim order from the Delhi High Court against Xiaomi in a case involving infringement of patents relating to AMR technology, 2G and 3G technologies. It is interesting to note that Ericsson had in the past sued Micromax, Gionee, and Intex and did not succeed against Intex but the other two companies. While this being the case, there is also a complaint pending before the competition commission of india (CCI) for alleged unfair trade practices in patents by Ericsson. The injunction now prohibits Xiaomi and its e-tailer Flipkart, which has also been implicated in this case, from selling, advertising, manufacturing or importing the devices that infringe these patents. Also, directions were issued to...

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In “Advocates as Patent Agents” Case- IPO says “it has been appealed”

SP Chockalingam vs. Controller of Patents March 15, 2013 was a much-awaited date for the legal fraternity when Honourable Madras High Court pronounced a verdict on a writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking for issuance of a Writ of Declaration, that the amendment introduced to Section 126 of the Patents Act, 1970, by Section 67 (a) of the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 (Act 15 of 2005) as illegal, unconstitutional, ultra vires and void. After several months have passed by, our Indian Patent Office (IPO) has not made a public statement as to whether it was going to appeal or implement the decision, to our knowledge.  In the interim, many advocates were curious to know...

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Things to look for when using Madrid System in India – National System vs Madrid System

[caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="520"] Madrid-WIPO[/caption]   While it is indisputable that Madrid Trademark System brings a host of advantages for applicants wanting to register their trademark across the globe, there are a few things to be taken in to consideration to chose whether Madrid System would suit you. If you are only looking to register your brand only in a country or two, then you may have to think twice before choosing Madrid System as you may end up spending a lot more than you should. For example, if you want to get a trademark only in US, then you are better off using the national system, as opposed to Madrid System. To get a trademark in US using Madrid...

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