Basmati Rice Trademark Case: Major legal victory for Pakistan as Australian court rejects India’s appeal
Islamabad: Pakistan has achieved a significant legal victory in the matter of basmati rice exports, as the Federal Court of Australia has rejected India’s trademark appeal concerning basmati rice.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Australian court rejected a trademark appeal filed by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and also ordered the Indian agency to pay the legal costs of the opposing party. The Federal Court of Australia has jurisdiction to hear appeals against decisions of the Registrar of Trade Marks.
In its ruling, the court acknowledged that basmati rice is produced in Pakistan and is Pakistani rice.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce welcomed the ruling, saying the Australian court’s decision supports Pakistan’s principled and consistent position on the basmati issue.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, APEDA had applied to register basmati in Australia as a certification trademark. However, the Australian Registrar of Trade Marks rejected the application on December 22, 2022. APEDA subsequently challenged the registrar’s decision before the Federal Court of Australia, which also rejected the Indian agency’s appeal.
Notably, basmati rice has traditionally been produced in Pakistan and is highly valued worldwide for its distinctive taste and aroma. India, however, has sought to market and export basmati to international markets as Indian rice.
