SpicyIP

SpicyIP Weekly Review (February 16 – February 22) A post discussing Galgotias University low-quality patent filings and the larger question of India’s patent regime distortion. Another post defending the recent scent trademark of Sumitomo Ru…

Case summaries and IP developments from the country and the globe and much more in this week’s SpicyIP Weekly Review. Anything we are missing out on? Drop a comment below to let us know. (2/2)

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A post discussing Galgotias University low-quality patent filings and the larger question of India’s patent regime distortion. Another post defending the recent scent trademark of Sumitomo Rubber Industries. And a post on conversations with artisans about their crafts at the Bangalore Habba. (1/2)

SpicyIP Bells & Whistles: IP Events and Opportunities (23.02.2026) Welcome back to another week of Bells & Whistles.As always, we’ve rounded up a mix of developments, opportunities, and thoughtful reads from across the IP world along with a Bell of the Week th…

Alongside this, we have rounded up a set of opportunities and events for the week, bringing together avenues for learning, engagement, and participation across the IP space. (3/3)
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while also sitting with the gap between legal recognition and cultural practice. In an industry that still foregrounds stars over creators, and increasingly leans on remixes and revivals, the question of who truly benefits remains as relevant as ever. (2/3)

This week’s newsletter turns to a shift that continues to shape how we think about authorship and ownership in creative industries. Our Bell of the Week reflects on the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 and its promise of recognising the rights of lyricists and composers, (1/3)

The Illusion of Innovation: Looking at the Galgotias University Patents Arguing that India’s patent regime is being distorted by seemingly flawed incentives, Kartikeya Srivastava explains how the NIRF’s publication-focused metrics have turned patent filings into a numb…

...divorced from genuine innovation. Through a close reading of two contrasting Galgotias University patents, he highlights a structural system that risks rewarding low-quality filings. (2/2)
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Arguing that India’s patent regime is being distorted by seemingly flawed incentives, Kartikeya Srivastava explains how the NIRF’s publication-focused metrics have turned patent filings into a numbers game (1/2)

Are You a-live Performer? A Question to Studio Recordist In a new guest post, Rajesh Kumar and Akanksha Badika discuss Section 2(q) and the relevance of the word “live” in defining what legally constitutes performance. By applying the statuto…

...limits the scope of “performance” to live performances and not studio performances. (2/2)
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Discussing Section 2(q) of the Copyright Act and the relevance of the word “live” in defining what legally constitutes a performance, Rajesh Kumar and Akanksha Badika apply the statutory rules of interpretation to argue that the qualifier “live,” added after the 2012 (1/2)

In Defense of Sumitomo, and What It Means for India In November last year, the CGPDTM granted India’s first olfactory mark for rose-like smelling tyres. Adding to the discussion on the blog (here and here), Gaurav Dhaiya writes in favor of the…

Check the post below:-
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that a 7-dimensional vector representation of a rose fragrance can satisfy the graphical representation requirement under the Act, and reflects on acquired distinctiveness and the broader need for a coherent normative framework to evaluate non-traditional TM in India. (2/3)

On the grant of a scent trade mark to Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Gaurav Dahiya takes a contrarian view to the critics of the order, defending the decision while highlighting where the Controller General’s reasoning could have gone further. He argues....(1/3)

Canva v RxPrism; Analysing How the 3(k) Challenge was ‘Canva’ssed with a Statutory Presumption of Validity Recently, a division bench of the Delhi High Court refused to intervene with an interlocutory order restraining Canva, from using its “Present and Record” feature. Priyam discusses that the order s…

...and the doctrine of equivalents, it notably sidesteps the Section 3(k) challenge and relies on the statutory presumption of validity. (2/2)

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The DHC recently upheld an interim injunction against Canva over its “Present and Record” feature, affirming a strong prima facie case of infringement in favour of RxPrism. Priyam Mitra writes on the order explaining that while the ruling leans heavily on claim construction (1/2)

Regulating Artificially Generated Media: Unpacking the Amendments to the IT Rules Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has notified the amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules…

Vikram Raj Nanda breaks down the amendments and discusses what has changed from the earlier draft, as well as their possible impacts. (2/2)
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Recently, MeitY notified the amendments to the IT(Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. These amendments are intended to address issues related to ‘synthetically generated information’ and deepfakes. (1/2)

SpicyIP Bells & Whistles: IP Events and Opportunities (16.02.2026) Welcome back to another week of Bells and Whistles. We’re starting this week with some exciting updates from the SpicyIP community! The finalists for the first National Policy Brief Competition on …

We have also lined up a set of interesting events and opportunities for readers to explore over the coming days. All in all, a week to reflect, engage, and stay curious about where IP is headed next. (4/4)
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Alongside this, SpicyIP has announced the finalists for its first National Policy Brief Competition on Intellectual Property and Innovation, and shared that the SpicyIP Summer School 2026 will open for applications soon. (3/4)

Her scholarship shows how law has always played a role in shaping how knowledge and culture are created and shared, a perspective that feels especially relevant in times of rapid technological change. (2/4)

This week’s Bell of the Week rings for Isabella Alexander, whose work in copyright history reminds us that today’s IP debates are part of much longer legal and cultural trajectories. (1/4)

SpicyIP Weekly Review (February 9 – February 15) Announcing the Finalists of the 1st National Policy Brief Competition on Intellectual Property & Innovation 2025! Posts on Delhi HC’s evolving jurisprudence on pro-tem security deposits i…

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Supreme Court allowing the Petitioners to map their claims against Zydus’s product in Nivolumab infringement dispute. Case summaries and IP developments from the country and the globe in this week’s SpicyIP Weekly Review. Anything we are missing out on? Drop a comment below to let us know. (2/3)

Announcing the Finalists of the 1st National Policy Brief Competition on Intellectual Property & Innovation 2025! Posts on Delhi HC’s evolving jurisprudence on pro-tem security deposits in FRAND trials, Supreme Court to decide CCI’s jurisdiction over abuse of patent rights, and the .. (1/3)

Announcing the Finalists of the 1st National Policy Brief Competition on Intellectual Property & Innovation 2025! After an engaging pre-final round on February 10, we are delighted to announce the finalists of the 1st National Policy Brief Competition on Intellectual Property & Innovation, 2025 organized b…

For the list of shortlisted teams, check out the post below:-
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The finalists will now make their oral presentations on February 27 in Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, before our panel of distinguished judges, comprising of Ms. Shwetasree Majumder, Justice (Retd.) Prabha Sridevan, Dr. Zakir Thomas, and Dr. V.K. Unni. (2/3)

After an engaging pre-final round on February 10, we are delighted to announce the finalists of the 1st National Policy Brief Competition on Intellectual Property & Innovation, 2025 organized by SpicyIP and CIPAM, DPIIT (1/3)

SC to decide CCI’s Jurisdiction over abuse of Patent Rights Can CCI decide whether a patentee, in exercising his exclusive rights under the Patent Act, has violated the provisions of Competition Act, 2002? Readers of this blog must be aware how hotly contes…

to address such concerns, Yogesh Byadwal revisits the Ayyangar Report to unpack that claim. He argues that compulsory licensing was designed to ensure wider access and affordability of patented inventions, not to police anti-competitive conduct. (2/2)
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The Supreme Court has finally agreed to hear whether the CCI has jurisdiction to examine abuse of patent rights, reviving a long-contested debate. With the DHC DB decision asserting that the Patents Act( particularly its compulsory licensing framework) is a “complete code”(1/2)

‘Pro-tem’ FRAND Deposits: Are temporary orders here to stay? The Indian jurisprudence on ‘pro-tem’ security deposits in FRAND trials has been twelve years in the making at the Delhi High Court. Full details of the contents of pro-tem orders have been frequen…

..., and their impact beyond SEP disputes. (2/2)
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The DHC's evolving jurisprudence on pro-tem security deposits in FRAND trials reflects a significant shift in SEP litigation strategy. Ambika Aggarwal notes that as their application expands, it raises important questions on legal certainty, theoretical justification.. (1/2)