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In a landmark move to bolster India's sports economy, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has announced a three-year "special drive" that completely waives government fees for Intellectual Property (IP) registrations within the sports sector.
Speaking at the World Intellectual Property Day celebrations on Tuesday, the Minister unveiled a policy designed to help local sports leagues, athletes, and equipment manufacturers protect their brands and maximise their commercial potential through media rights and franchising. The new policy removes financial barriers for any IP related to sports, covering a wide spectrum of legal protections. Effective immediately, the fee waiver applies to trademarks & copyrights, patents & designs and Geographical Indications (GI) & Traditional Knowledge. "From today, any IP, whether it's trademark, copyright, patent, design, traditional knowledge, or a GI product, for three years, as a special drive to promote sports, the fees will be zero... We'll examine it after three years, based on how much all of you participate and how much the ecosystem really benefits from this announcement...," said Goyal. The Minister specifically targeted smaller and emerging sports leagues that operate without formal brand protection. He emphasised that securing a trademark is not just a legal formality but a vital business strategy to "capture" the true value of the sport. Registered trademarks allow leagues to negotiate significantly better deals with broadcasters and streaming platforms. Proper IP protection enables leagues to sell franchise rights, allowing their brands to expand into new territories and merchandise markets. "Wherever there are leagues that any of you may be aware of, which have not yet registered themselves, we should get them trademark-registered. That will help you get better media rights or to capture the media rights of that. That will also help you franchise your products," added Goyal. The announcement aligns with India's broader ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games and build a robust "Sports India" brand. By slashing the cost of IP protection, the government aims to encourage a culture of innovation and professionalisation in sports management. As the three-year window begins, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry expects a surge in filings from across the country, transforming local tournaments into scalable, protected, and profitable global entities. (ANI)
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