KVIC Secures Trademark Registration for “Khadi” in Bhutan, Mexico, and UAE

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has secured trademark registration for the brand name “Khadi” in three more countries which were Mexico, United Arab Emirates, and Bhutan. The trademark registration in Mexico was granted in December 2020, while the registration in UAE was granted on June 28 and latest in Bhutan on July 9. With trademark registration in UAE, it was the first time that the brand gets trademark registration in a gulf country. The KVIC registered the mark under the classes Khadi fabric, Khadi ready-made garments, and village industry products including Khadi soaps, Khadi cosmetics, Khadi incense sticks, and others.

It is not the first time that the brand “Khadi” gets its registration in other countries. The trademark registration has been successful in other countries such as China, Australia, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, and the European Union. UAE has a large chunk of the Indian population and getting a trademark registration will surely give a boost to the market of Khadi. Not only with these countries, but Khadi also has pending trademark applications in 40 other countries namely Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Italy, Brazil, Qatar, and the United States.

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Increasing popularity

Khadi is a natural fiber cloth spun which is made up of cotton, silk, or wool and woven by hand. This clothing helps to feel cool in summer and warm in winters. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged citizens to shift to Khadi so that this industry can see a boom and can create more jobs in India thereby creating more employment opportunities for artisan and craftsmen in regions where Khadi and Khadi products are made. This appeal did increase the overall sale of products across India and overseas and saw the greater interest of consumers towards this industry.

With increasing importance and popularity, there have been instances where this mark has been filed for registration by other organizations. Such a case was witnessed in Mexico where a trademark application for the Khadi logo, was filed by One Foundation Oaxaca Ac in Mexico. KVIC successfully opposed this application. Also, KVIC has requested e-commerce sites such as Amazon, Flipkart to take down those weblinks which relate to the counterfeit Khadi products. Similarly, in Germany, KVIC challenged a local company – Best Natural Products GmbH (“BNP”), which is 2011 already got prior rights in the mark “KHADI” and related marks in the EU and other countries in different classes. After a long legal battle and negotiations through the Diplomatic channel with the help of the Ministry of External Affairs, BNP has expressed its willingness to settle the trademark disputes amicably with KVIC.

KVIC Chairman Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena said these trademark registrations will prevent any misuse of the brand name “Khadi” globally. He said in recent years, Khadi’s popularity has seen massive growth in India and abroad due to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s appeal to adopt Khadi. It has, therefore, become very important for KVIC to protect the identity of Khadi and safeguard the interest of consumers and lakhs of Khadi artisans who are manufacturing genuine Khadi products.

About KVIC

The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organization, and implementation of programs for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.

Its functions also comprise building up of a reserve of raw materials and implements for supply to producers, creation of common service facilities for processing of raw materials as semi-finished goods, and provisions of facilities for marketing of KVI products apart from organization of training of artisans engaged in these industries and encouragement of co-operative efforts amongst them. To promote the sale and marketing of khadi and/or products of village industries or handicrafts, the KVIC may forge linkages with established marketing agencies wherever feasible and necessary.

The KVIC is also charged with the responsibility of encouraging and promoting research in the production techniques and equipment employed in the Khadi and Village Industries sector and providing facilities for the study of the problems relating to it, including the use of non-conventional energy and electric power to increase productivity, eliminating drudgery and otherwise enhancing their competitive capacity and arranging for dissemination of salient results obtained from such research. Further, the KVIC is entrusted with the task of providing financial assistance to institutions and individuals for the development and operation of Khadi and village industries and guiding them through the supply of designs, prototypes, and other technical information. In implementing KVI activities, the KVIC may take such steps as to ensure the genuineness of the products and to set standards of quality, and ensure that the products of Khadi and village industries do conform to the standards.

Author: Saransh Chaturvedi an associate at IP & Legal Filings, in case of any queries please contact/write back to us at support@ipandlegalfilings.com.