‘Operation Sindoor’ trademark applications filed in India, US, UK: What does it mean?

Several applications have been filed to trademark 'Operation Sindoor' – the codename for India's military strikes against Pakistan. According to a report, trademark applications were recently filed in the US and the UK, and at least 14 have been filed in India.

In the US, Rohith Baharani, an individual based in New York, filed a trademark application on 9 May 2025, Bar and Bench reported.

The application was reportedly filed on an “intent to use” (ITU) basis. This means that the applicant has not yet used the mark in commerce but intends to do so.

The application is currently awaiting examination by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) under US Classes 100, 101, and 107, which relate to certification and service marks.

Meanwhile, the UK's Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) recorded an application for the same mark on 8 May 2025. It was filed by Vikas Mahajan, a resident of Devon, England.

According to Bar and Bench, this application spanned Classes 35, 38, and 41, which include advertising, telecommunications, and education-related services.

As per the report, 13 different individuals and entities filed trademark applications for “Operation Sindoor” in India as of mid-May 2025. One application was filed by Jio Studios, but was withdrawn later.

The applications span a variety of sectors, including apparel, media content, and services.

Backlash over trademark application

Earlier in May, Mukesh Ambani's film studio was the first to apply for the mark, but the application was withdrawn the next day after the company received extensive backlash over the move.

Jio Studios, a Reliance Industries unit, clarified in a statement that the trademark application was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorisation and asserted that they have no intention of trademarking Operation Sindoor.

Reliance's statement came hours after some social media users posted screenshots of the Indian government website showing some individuals and Reliance had filed applications for trademark registration.

“This isn’t branding, it’s blatant mockery ... It’s disturbing to see something so serious being reduced to a joke,” posted an X user who identified herself as Archana Pawar.

What is a trademark?

A trademark application is a formal request filed with a government agency, like the Intellectual Property India, to register a specific mark (a logo, name, phrase, etc) as a trademark. Trademarks contribute to brand reputation and consumer trust.

A business is identified by its unique brand elements, such as logo, name, colour scheme, etc. So, a trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things that identifies your goods or services. It’s how customers recognise a business in the marketplace and distinguish it from competitors.

What does Trademark Registration mean?

A registered trademark is a mark that is officially recognised and recorded in the trademark registry maintained by the Intellectual Property India authorities.

Trademark Registration enables an individual to gain exclusive rights and legal protection over the use of that particular symbol, name, etc. It provides protection throughout the country and safeguards against unauthorised use.

Can a military operation codename be trademarked?

In India, military operation codenames like “Operation Sindoor” are not automatically protected as intellectual property by the government, Bar and Bench reported.

The Ministry of Defence does not typically register or commercialise these names. These names are not secured under any special statutory IP framework.

As a result, unless the government expressly intervenes, such names remain open to trademark claims by private individuals or entities.

However, the Trade Marks Act, 1999, empowers the registry to reject trademarks that are misleading, offensive or contrary to public policy.

Moreover, rights acquired abroad are "territorial in nature" and do not extend to India unless a separate application is filed or an international registration is designated under the Madrid Protocol, Bar and Bench said.

According to the report, India, the US, and the UK are all signatories to the Madrid Protocol. It enables trademark owners in one member country to seek protection in other member countries through a single international application.

Operation Sindoor and what it symbolises

'Operation Sindoor' is a codename India used for the precision strikes it conducted inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on 7 May. At least nine terror camps were targeted, and 100 terrorists were killed in the military operation. 

Operation Sindoor was conducted in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attacks. India claimed that Pakistan links were established in the attacks.

The codename 'Operation Sindoor' carries a symbolic message. Sindoor is the Hindi word for vermilion, which married Hindu women often apply to their foreheads. 'Operation Sindoor' is perhaps India's revenge on behalf of the widows of the Pahalgam terror attack. All the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, were men.