Goyal announces zero fee for IP application filing in sports sector for 3 years

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday announced a three-year waiver of application fee for intellectual property rights (IPRs), such as patents, trademarks, and designs, related to the sports sector. A notification in this regard will be issued by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), he added. ''So, 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 fee will be zero,'' he said here at World IP Day 2026 - IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate. The function was organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and industry body Ficci. IPR application fee at present varies by type and applicant entity - individual, startups, small firm or a big company. The government provides significant discounts for startups and individuals. The fee ranges between Rs 500 and Rs 60,000. The Kashmir's Willow Bat has a Geographical Indication (GI) certification. The minister also said that the DPIIT has a scheme under which the department provides support for filling applications. ''We have a scheme by which we handhold you (applicants), provide you the support to get it registered and make your journey easier to become a part of the IP ecosystem,'' Goyal said. He added that the ministry will examine the fee waiver after three years. Further, he suggested that sports leagues register their trade marks. ''That will help them get better media rights...That will also help you franchise your products. If your core product has an IP, then you can franchise it to others and encash value for it,'' he said, adding that there is a need to promote the manufacturing of sports goods like hockey sticks, balls, and gym equipment in the country. ''We can also look at scaling up some of the clusters where sports goods are made,'' he said. He added that the government can provide support measures for that. ''So, let's study what in India is importing and let's see how we can increase the local manufacturing,'' he noted. The minister also encouraged Jammu and Kashmir to look at ways to boost the manufacturing of these products. The minister felicitated members of the J-K cricket team, which has won the Ranji Trophy for the first time in more than six decades. Led by domestic stalwart Paras Dogra, J-K clinched their maiden Ranji title after holding eight-time champions Karnataka to a draw, winning on the basis of a huge 291-run first-innings lead in the final at Hubballi on February 28.

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