What’s New in Trademark Law: CGPDTM Publishes 13 New Well Known Trademarks

On 2 March 2026, the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM) published the list of newly recognised well known trademarks in the Trade Marks Journal.

Key takeaways:

1. This publication was issued under the Trade Marks Rules, 2017, in accordance with the statutory framework governing well-known trademarks.

2. The trademarks listed therein have been declared as well-known trademarks under Rule 124(5) of the Trade Marks Rules, 2017.

3. Recognition as a ‘well known trademark’ grants the proprietor enhanced protection against misuse, infringement, and dilution across all classes of goods and services, even in respect of classes for which the mark may not be registered.

4. The notification lists 13 well known trademarks spanning diverse sectors, including pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality, telecommunications, education, construction, food and beverages, and apparel.

5. The notable well known trademarks that were recognised, include:

   1. Vaseline— Recognised under Unilever Global IP Limited for its trademark in respect of petroleum jelly, reinforcing the long-standing market reputation of its personal care products.

   2. SHOPPERS STOP— Declared well-known for its one-stop retail services by Shoppers Stop Limited spanning footwear, cosmetics, jewellery, home products, books, toys, and music.

   3. SINAREST— The mark was declared well known in relation to medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations, by Centaur Pharmaceuticals Private Limited.

   4. BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE— Recognised as a well known trademark in respect of higher education institutions, owned by Birla Institute of Technology & Science.

   5. UNCLE JOHN— Declared well known for ice creams and frozen desserts, owned by Kreem Foods Private Limited.

   6. CAT— Recognised as a well-known trademark for goods relating to construction, mining, roads, building, agriculture industries, as well as footwear and garments, owned by Caterpillar Inc.

   7. GIRNAR— Declared well-known for tea, coffee, spices, breads, cookies, biscuits, instant foods, and beverages, owned by Girnar Food & Beverages Pvt. Ltd.

   8. CAMPA— Recognised for its trademark in relation to soft drinks, owned by Reliance Retail Limited, reflecting its expanding footprint in the FMCG sector.

   9. HIRECT— Declared well-known in respect of power electronic equipment, railway transportation equipment, telecommunications, and core sector industries, owned by Hind Rectifiers Limited.

   10. TAJ— Recognised as a well-known trademark in the hospitality industry, owned by The Indian Hotels Company Limited.

   11. EAGLE (Retail Royalty)— Declared well-known for readymade clothing, footwear, fashion accessories, and related goods, owned by Retail Royalty Company.

   12. NB— Recognised as a well-known trademark for footwear, headgear, readymade clothing, sporting goods, bags, and retail services, owned by New Balance Athletics, Inc.

   13. JIO— Declared well-known in respect of telecommunication services, owned by Reliance Industries Limited.

6. The inclusion of these trademarks in the official list of well known trademarks offers advantages, such as:

   • Gives stronger rights to stop misuse of the trademark

   • Protects the trademark across all business categories

   • Reduces the risk of fraudulent trademark filings