Just hours after India announced its most significant cross-border military strike since Balakot—codenamed Operation Sindoor—a trademark battle erupted. According to a Bar and Bench report, Reliance Industries Limited was the first to file for exclusive rights to the name, swiftly followed by three other contenders. These include Mukesh Chetram Agrawal, a Mumbai-based resident; Group Captain Kamal Singh Oberh (Retd.), a former Indian Air Force officer; and Alok Kothari, a Delhi-based lawyer.
All four filed their applications under Class 41 of the Nice Classification, which governs trademarks related to education, training services, media and film production, OTT content, and cultural or sporting events. Notably, each application was marked as “proposed to be used,” indicating plans to commercialize the operation’s name in future ventures related to entertainment or public engagement.
Interestingly, military operation names in India are not automatically protected as intellectual property. The Ministry of Defence does not traditionally register or restrict the commercial use of these names, leaving them open to private claims—unless such claims run afoul of trademark laws. Under the Trade Marks Act, 1999, the registry has the authority to reject applications that are:
- Misleading, offensive, or contrary to public policy (Section 9)
- Falsely implying government or military affiliation (Section 11)
Unless successfully challenged, however, such applications can proceed through the normal registration process.
The timing of the filings is as dramatic as the operation itself. Between 10:42 AM and 6:27 PM on May 7, 2025, all four entities filed to own the name “Operation Sindoor,” mere hours after it had been broadcast to the nation.
As for the operation itself, Operation Sindoor was a coordinated and precision-led offensive that struck nine high-value terrorist targets across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Conducted in under 25 minutes, the strike involved air, naval, and ground forces, and was based on intelligence confirming terrorist activity. The government later confirmed that around 100 terrorists affiliated with banned outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen were eliminated.
Whether “Operation Sindoor” becomes a patriotic symbol or a trademarked brand is now in the hands of India’s legal system—and perhaps the highest bidder.
