LALL & SETHI

India seeks Israeli collaboration for litchi
May 07, 2008: indiaenews.com

India has sought collaboration with Israel to enhance the quality of litchi, grown mainly in Bihar, to boost its domestic and export market.  Collaboration with Israel is in the offing to enhance quality of litchi and to get rid of problem of very short harvesting period.

India is eyeing technology transfer from Israel for litchi. Israel has got technology that will help litchi growers as well as those engaged in its marketing to earn lucrative prices.  more>>>
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Farmers protest over genetically modified crops in Delhi
May 06, 2008: newkerala.com

Farmers from different parts of the country demonstrated over the use of genetically modified crops in the country.  Organised by Coalition for a GM-free India, the protesting farmers demanded that the genetically modified technology should be banned in the country, as it was against the Indian farmers' interest. Protestors said that with the spread of genetically modified (GM) crops, farmers' rights could be seized in the name of the Intellectual Property Rights and patents.  more>>>
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India’s FTA with EFTA nations to include IPRs
May 07, 2008: Financial Express

A free trade agreement is slated to be finalised between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) by early 2009. The EFTA countries include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.  Apart from trade in industrial and agricultural goods and services, there would be strong focus on implementation of intellectual property rights regime. The EFTA countries and India had earlier set up a joint study group to move towards a broad-based trade and investment agreement. Based on the positive recommendations of the joint study report, it was agreed in January, 2008 to initiate negotiation for a free trade agreement (FTA).  more>>>
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Indian and Chinese industries to cooperate for IPR protection
May 05, 2008: Economics Times

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between representatives of Indian and Chinese industries to enhance cooperation for the protection of Intellectual Property Rights.  The MoU was signed between Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Quality Brand Protection Committee (QBPC) of China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment, at the Consulate General of India in Shanghai.  more>>>
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Trademark

Coke may end trademark row, revokes Maaza foray abroad
May 02, 2008: Financial Express

Coca-Cola has decided to withdraw the registration of the Maaza trademark in countries outside India. The move is expected to bring down the curtains on the current trademark row with Ramesh Chauhan-owned Bisleri.  The development assumes significance as Chauhan threatened to drag Coca-Cola to court if the latter did not agree to its objection over the registration of the Maaza trademark in other countries. While Chauhan had sold the trademark rights of Maaza to Coke in India, it did not do the same for overseas.  more>>>
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Patent

Ministry wants patent units off drug sale approvals
May 05, 2008: Business Standard

The Drug Controller General of India's (DCGI's) plans to seek help from the patent offices to deny marketing approval to copycat versions of patent-protected medicines may not succeed as the commerce ministry — the administrative ministry for intellectual property matters — does not want patent offices intervening in the drug approval process. Commerce ministry officials say grant of patents cannot be a criterion to decide a medicine's marketing eligibility.  more>>>
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Indian pharma may export to Philippines
May 05, 2008: Times of India

Crucial patent law reforms in Philippines may open up a goldmine of opportunity for India's generic pharma industry to export medicines for treating deadly diseases such as HIV and cancer. Domestic companies including Cipla, Natco Pharma and Strides Arcolab are already exporting anti-HIV drugs to Africa and other countries.  More importantly, these reforms strengthen the case of India's Patent Act, particularly the 'often attacked' provision Section 3(d), which prohibits patenting of known drugs. more>>>
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Drug companies oppose bid to link marketing, patents
May 02 2008: Livemint

Domestic drug companies are strongly objecting to the Indian drug quality regulator’s plans to link marketing approval for a drug with its patent status in the country, citing resources required and fears it could block access to affordable medicines by suppressing competitive forces.  more>>>
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Trademark

Reading the fine print
May 08, 2008: Financial Express

Whether the Coca-Cola and Bisleri spat is buried forever or some fizz still remains is difficult to guess, but a clear lesson is that Companies need to guard their intellectual property rights carefully.  It all started when Bisleri’s chairman Ramesh Chauhan came to know that Coca-Cola was trying to register the Maaza trademark in countries other than India. Chauhan had sold Maaza to Coca-Cola in 1993 along with his other brands like Thums Up, Goldspot and Limca from his stable. Subsequently, the Companies had signed an agreement over the ownership of the Maaza trademark in India.  more>>>
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Infosys may change name in France
May 03, 2008: Times of India

Infosys might be forced to change its name in France as it constitutes certain infringement on trademark name in that country. On April 15, 2008, a civil court in Bobigny, France ruled that our use of the name Infosys constituted infringement of the trademark, corporate name and trade name Infosys France in France and that we could not use the name "Infosys" in France as a trademark, corporate name and trade namewith immediate effect.  more>>>
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Authoritative Decision of Supreme Court of India on Domain Name Dispute

Civil v Criminal Remedies

Deadlines

Domain Registrations

Enforcement of Trade Marks

Salient Features of The Trade Marks Act, 1999

The Patents (Amendment) Bill 2005

Indian Court Grants Punitive Damage for Trade Mark Violation

Supreme Court on Injunctions

Supreme Court of India Reiterates its commitment to Protect Well-Known Foreign Brands

Landmark Supreme Court of India Decision on USE of Trade Marks

TM Act 99 - Well known Trade Marks

Lall & Sethi Tsunami Relief Efforts

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