Can you own a military op name? Ex-IAF officer among 3 in race to trademark 'Operation Sindoor'

Just hours after India’s cross-border military strike dubbed "Operation Sindoor" was announced, multiple trademark applications were filed to claim rights over the name, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

Three individuals—including a retired Indian Air Force officer, a Delhi-based lawyer, and a Mumbai-based resident—submitted applications seeking exclusive rights under Class 41, the category reserved for entertainment, education, and media services.

According to Bar and Bench, between 10:42 AM and 6:27 PM on May 7, 2025, the following applicants filed for the trademark:

• Mukesh Chetram Agrawal, Mumbai-based resident
• Group Captain Kamal Singh Oberh (Retd.), Indian Air Force
• Alok Kothari, Delhi-based lawyer

Each application was marked as “proposed to be used,” indicating future plans to commercialise the term—possibly as a film title, web series, documentary, or digital content brand. All three filed under Class 41 of the Nice Classification, which includes:

• Education and training services
• Film and media production
• Digital publishing and OTT content
• Cultural and sporting events

Importantly, names of military operations in India are not automatically protected as intellectual property. The Ministry of Defence does not typically register or restrict commercial usage of such terms, leaving them vulnerable to private trademark claims.

However, under the Trade Marks Act, 1999, the registry can reject applications if the term:

Is misleading, offensive, or against public policy (Section 9)

Implies a false association with the government or national defence (Section 11)

Unless such filings are challenged, they can move forward through the standard trademark registration process.

Operation Sindoor 

In the early hours of May 8, India executed its most extensive cross-border strike since Balakot, targeting nine high-value terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The mission, completed in just 25 minutes, involved air, naval, and ground-based platforms.

Conducted under complete secrecy, the strikes followed precise intelligence confirming terrorist activity. According to top government sources, nearly 100 terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen were neutralised.

The operation was described by officials as “measured, precise, and intelligence-driven.”