End-to-end trademark filing, prosecution and protection — public search, class selection, application drafting, objection replies, opposition handling and renewal.
What a trademark does for your business
- Identifies your goods or services and their true origin
- Guarantees consistent, unchanged quality to your customers
- Advertises your goods and services every time it is seen
- Builds an image and goodwill that compounds over the years
- Gives you ownership of the brand — and the right to sue infringers for damages
- Lets you franchise the brand anywhere in India against royalty, or assign it outright
Types of marks we register
- Product trademarks — affixed to identify goods
- Service marks (SM) — used to identify services such as broadcasting or retail outlets
- Certification marks — certified by the proprietor for origin, material, method of manufacture or quality
- Collective marks — registered for groups, associations and organisations for use by their members
How to choose a strong trademark
- If it is a word, it should be easy to speak, spell and remember
- The best trademarks are invented or coined words
- Avoid geographical names — nobody can hold a monopoly on them
- Avoid laudatory or descriptive words such as best, perfect or super
- Always run a market survey and a Trade Marks Registry search before you adopt the mark
Choose your classes carefully
A trademark is protected only for the classes of goods and services you claim. If you do not use the mark for those goods or services within five years of registration, you can lose protection. We map your current and planned business lines to the right classes before filing.
The filing procedure, step by step
- Search — a search is conducted to establish whether the mark is registrable
- Application — documents are prepared, signed by you and filed; you receive the application and PRN numbers
- Objections — official objections raised under the Act are drafted and replied to
- Publication — the mark is advertised in the Trade Marks Journal
- Registration — the Certificate of Registration is issued
TM, SM and ® — what the symbols mean
Any time you claim rights in a mark you may use TM (goods) or SM (services) to alert the public to your claim. The ® symbol may be used only after the Registry actually registers the mark — never while an application is pending — and only with the goods and services listed in the registration.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a trademark registration valid?
Under the Trade Marks Act, 1999 a registration is valid for 10 years (extended from the earlier 7 years) and is renewable indefinitely.
When can I start using the TM symbol?
Roughly 30 days after filing you can begin using TM for goods or SM for services. The ® symbol may only be used after registration is granted.
Do I really need a trademark attorney?
A trademark attorney monitors the whole procedure, carries out searches, drafts the specification, replies to objections and handles oppositions on your behalf. Your trademark is not only a valuable asset but the goodwill of the company — it deserves accurate, expert handling.
What if my mark is similar to an existing one?
It may infringe the prior mark. The prior owner can demand cancellation of your registration and claim financial compensation — which is exactly why a search before adoption is non-negotiable.