UPDATED at 3.55pm on 8 May 2025 to include response from RIL
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) was the first to file a trademark application for “Operation Sindoor” — just hours after the Indian military operation of the same name was announced. Within the next 24 hours, three more applicants followed, all seeking exclusive rights under Class 41, which covers entertainment, education, cultural and media services.
The four applications — submitted between 10:42 AM and 6:27 PM on May 7, 2025 — were made by Reliance, Mumbai resident Mukesh Chetram Agrawal, retired Indian Air Force officer Group Captain Kamal Singh Oberh, and Delhi-based lawyer Alok Kothari. Each application marks the phrase as “proposed to be used”, indicating plans to deploy it for commercial purposes.
‘Operation Sindoor' refers to a recent Indian cross-border military strike that sparked nationwide attention. The phrase quickly gained symbolic weight, with ‘sindoor’ evoking traditional Indian notions of sacrifice and valour.
Its powerful emotional and patriotic resonance has made it a sought-after term for use in films, media, and public discourse — and, now, as a commercial trademark.
All four applicants have filed for registration under Class 41 of the Nice Classification, which includes:
- Education and training services
- Film and media production
- Live performances and events
- Digital content delivery and publishing
- Cultural and sporting activities
This category is often used by OTT platforms, production houses, broadcasters, and event companies — suggesting that ‘Operation Sindoor’ could soon become a film title, web series or documentary brand.
The table below shows who applied and the scope of their applications.
Each filing is marked as “proposed to be used,” meaning the applicants have not yet commercially launched the brand but intend to in the near future.
In India, military operation names like “Operation Sindoor” are not automatically protected as intellectual property by the government. The Ministry of Defence does not typically register or commercialise these names, and they are not secured under any special statutory IP framework. As a result, unless the government expressly intervenes, such names remain open to trademark claims by private individuals or entities.
However, the Trade Marks Act, 1999 empowers the registry to reject trademarks that are misleading, offensive or contrary to public policy.
Under Sections 9(2) and Section 11, the registrar may deny a mark if it suggests a false association with national defence or could offend public sentiment. Despite this, there is currently no automatic bar against registering such terms unless challenged by the government or other interested parties.
Indian trademark law does not guarantee rights to the first filer. While the filing date is important, the Registrar also weighs other factors, including:
- Genuine intent to use the mark;
- Likelihood of confusion with existing or competing marks;
- Strength and distinctiveness of the mark;
- Evidence presented during opposition (if any)
If two or more identical trademarks are filed around the same time, the registry may freeze examination or publication, and disputes may proceed through opposition proceedings. In some cases, coexistence agreements may be permitted if parties agree.
The standard process for registering a trademark in India involves:
1. Filing the application with a fee and classification;
2. Examination by the Trade Marks Registry;
3. Publication in the Trademarks Journal for 4 months;
4. Opposition by third parties (if any);
5. Registration, if unopposed or after winning the opposition.
UPDATE:
In a media statement, RIL says, "Jio Studios, a unit of Reliance Industries, has withdrawn its trademark application, which was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorisation."
"Reliance Industries has no intention of trademarking Operation Sindoor, a phrase which is now a part of the national consciousness as an evocative symbol of Indian bravery," it added.
