‘Operation Sindoor’ trademark purposes filed in India, US, UK: What does it imply?

A number of purposes have been filed to trademark ‘Operation Sindoor’ – the codename for India’s army strikes towards Pakistan. Based on a report, trademark purposes have been not too long ago filed within the US and the UK, and at the least 14 have been filed in India.

Within the US, Rohith Baharani, a person based mostly in New York, filed a trademark utility on 9 Might 2025, Bar and Bench reported.

The applying was reportedly filed on an “intent to make use of” (ITU) foundation. Which means the applicant has not but used the mark in commerce however intends to take action.

The applying is presently awaiting examination by america Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) beneath US Courses 100, 101, and 107, which relate to certification and repair marks.

In the meantime, the UK’s Mental Property Workplace (UKIPO) recorded an utility for a similar mark on 8 Might 2025. It was filed by Vikas Mahajan, a resident of Devon, England.

Based on Bar and Bench, this utility spanned Courses 35, 38, and 41, which embrace promoting, telecommunications, and education-related providers.

As per the report, 13 totally different people and entities filed trademark purposes for “Operation Sindoor” in India as of mid-Might 2025. One utility was filed by Jio Studios, however was withdrawn later.

The purposes span a wide range of sectors, together with attire, media content material, and providers.

Backlash over trademark utility

Earlier in Might, Mukesh Ambani’s movie studio was the primary to use for the mark, however the utility was withdrawn the following day after the corporate obtained intensive backlash over the transfer.

Jio Studios, a Reliance Industries unit, clarified in an announcement that the trademark utility was filed inadvertently by a junior particular person with out authorisation and asserted that they haven’t any intention of trademarking Operation Sindoor.

Reliance’s assertion got here hours after some social media customers posted screenshots of the Indian authorities web site exhibiting some people and Reliance had filed purposes for trademark registration.

“This isn’t branding, it’s blatant mockery … It’s disturbing to see one thing so severe being decreased to a joke,” posted an X consumer who recognized herself as Archana Pawar.

What’s a trademark?

A trademark utility is a proper request filed with a authorities company, just like the Mental Property India, to register a selected mark (a emblem, title, phrase, and many others) as a trademark. Emblems contribute to model popularity and client belief.

A enterprise is recognized by its distinctive model components, corresponding to emblem, title, color scheme, and many others. So, a trademark could be any phrase, phrase, image, design, or a mixture of these items that identifies your items or providers. It’s how clients recognise a enterprise within the market and distinguish it from rivals.

What does Trademark Registration imply?

A registered trademark is a mark that’s formally recognised and recorded within the trademark registry maintained by the Mental Property India authorities.

Trademark Registration allows a person to realize unique rights and authorized safety over using that exact image, title, and many others. It offers safety all through the nation and safeguards towards unauthorised use.

Can a army operation codename be trademarked?

In India, army operation codenames like “Operation Sindoor” are usually not mechanically protected as mental property by the federal government, Bar and Bench reported.

The Ministry of Defence doesn’t usually register or commercialise these names. These names are usually not secured beneath any particular statutory IP framework.

In consequence, except the federal government expressly intervenes, such names stay open to trademark claims by non-public people or entities.

Nonetheless, the Commerce Marks Act, 1999, empowers the registry to reject logos which might be deceptive, offensive or opposite to public coverage.

Furthermore, rights acquired overseas are “territorial in nature” and don’t prolong to India except a separate utility is filed or a global registration is designated beneath the Madrid Protocol, Bar and Bench mentioned.

Based on the report, India, the US, and the UK are all signatories to the Madrid Protocol. It allows trademark homeowners in a single member nation to hunt safety in different member international locations by means of a single worldwide utility.

Operation Sindoor and what it symbolises

‘Operation Sindoor’ is a codename India used for the precision strikes it carried out inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on 7 Might. At the least 9 terror camps have been focused, and 100 terrorists have been killed within the army operation. 

Operation Sindoor was carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror assaults. India claimed that Pakistan hyperlinks have been established within the assaults.

The codename ‘Operation Sindoor’ carries a symbolic message. Sindoor is the Hindi phrase for vermilion, which married Hindu ladies typically apply to their foreheads. ‘Operation Sindoor’ is maybe India’s revenge on behalf of the widows of Ptheahalgam terror assault. All of the victims of the Pahalgam terror assault, which killed 26 individuals, have been males.