A recent decision by the Supreme Court of India in Cryogas Equipment Pvt. Ltd. v. Inox India Ltd. sheds light on a long standing ambiguity in intellectual property (IP) law: can technical engineering drawings used in manufacturing can be protected under copyright law, or whether they fall under design law instead? Background In 2018, Inox […]
Trademarks in India are governed by the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and administered through the Trade Marks Registry under the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM). Each year, the CGPDTM publishes a comprehensive Annual Report, offering key insights into the operational health of the trademark system. The 2023–24 Annual […]
Introduction Trade secrets are crucial to modern business strategy, particularly in sectors driven by innovation, technology, or unique practices. Unlike patents, which require formal registration and public disclosure, trade secrets are protected through confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). In India, the growing importance of trade secret protection is driven by intensifying local and global competition. […]
The Indian Intellectual Property Office recently released its Annual Report for the year 2023-2024, providing valuable insights into design registration activity in India. This article highlights key trends, policy updates, and institutional efforts aimed at promoting design innovation and streamlining administrative processes. Design registration in India is governed by the Designs Act, 2000, and the […]
Delhi High Court Reins in Patent Claim Amendments: AbbVie’s Attempt to Convert Method Claims Rejected Introduction In a recent judgment in Abbvie Biotherapeutics INC & ANR. v. Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs [1]1, the Delhi High Court upheld the patent refusal order issued by the Controller of Patents for Indian patent application No. 201817047767, […]
Bombay High Court Upholds Karan Johar’s Personality Rights Introduction The Bombay High Court recently reinforced personality and publicity rights in India by granting relief to filmmaker Karan Johar against the producers of a film titled “Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar”. The Court held that the unauthorized use of Johar’s name and persona constituted a […]
The Indian Patent Office (IPO) published its Annual Report on March 31, 2025 spanning activities from April 2023 to March 2024. The report showcases significant growth in filing of applications, expedited examinations and active international collaboration. This article summarizes the main insights from the year’s patent activity. Rising Patent Filings In 2023–24, 92,168 patent applications […]
Introduction This article is the final part of our multi-blog series on analyzing the Draft Computer-Related Inventions (CRI) Guidelines, 2025. Part 1 discusses the new definitions and terms introduced in the Guidelines, Part 2 discusses the judgments referred to in the Guidelines, Part 3 discusses the novelty and inventive step sections and Part 4 discusses […]
The Cost of Misleading Advertising in India Introduction Misleading advertising remains a significant concern for consumer protection authorities worldwide. In India, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, along with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Code and recent guidelines issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), impose clear obligations on advertisers to ensure that marketing claims are […]
Introduction This article is part 4 of our multi-blog series on analyzing the Draft Computer-Related Inventions (CRI) Guidelines, 2025. Part 1 discusses the new definitions and terms introduced in the Guidelines, Part 2 discusses the judgments referred to in the Guidelines, and Part 3 discusses the novelty and inventive step sections. On March 25, 2025, […]










