With India increasingly positioning sport as both an economic and manufacturing opportunity, intellectual property protection is becoming more relevant across the sector. Sports technology, athlete branding, merchandise, regional manufacturing and digital sports content are all generating growing commercial value.
Recognising this, India’s Commerce Minister, on 28th April 2026, announced a three-year waiver of all official IP filing fees for the sports sector, on the occasion of World IP day, stating that filing fees for sports-related trademarks, patents, copyrights, industrial designs, geographical indications and traditional knowledge registrations would be waived for a period of three years as part of a special initiative aimed at promoting the sports sector.
In addition to the fee exemption, the Government also announced that facilitation support under existing schemes would be extended to innovators, students, artisans, and stakeholders seeking to file and secure IP rights.
While the detailed notifications are still awaited from the IP office in India , the waiver may significantly influence how sports businesses, startups and creators approach intellectual property protection in the coming years.
Categories Covered Under the Waiver
The proposed waiver covers several forms of intellectual property across the sports industry. From team branding and athlete-led merchandise to sports technology and regional manufacturing, the initiative appears designed to encourage wider participation in India’s IP system, especially among startups and smaller businesses for whom filing costs can be a genuine obstacle. Sports startups can achieve significant savings over the next three years through calculated intellectual property portfolio development once this is implemented.
Trademarks: For most sports businesses, trademarks are likely to remain the most commercially significant form of protection. Team names, league titles, athlete nicknames, logos, catchphrases and merchandise branding often become central to sponsorship, licensing and merchandising strategies.
Patents: The initiative will also extend to sports-related inventions and innovations. This could include sports equipment technology, smart wearables and fitness devices. India’s sports-tech platform has expanded significantly, and patent filing costs have often been viewed as a barrier for innovators.
Copyrights: Copyright protection may also become increasingly relevant for broadcasting content, digital campaigns, sports photography, training material and media rights associated with sporting events. This could benefit sports content creators, coaches, sports academies and media platforms.
Industrial Designs: Industrial design protection applies to the aesthetic appearance of products like sports shoes, helmets, jerseys, sports accessories, trophies and packaging. For sportswear and equipment companies, product appearance often becomes a key aspect of brand identity and market recognition. This could benefit brands seeking to protect their product designs.
Geographical Indications (GI): GI protection helps regional sports manufacturing groups protect products associated with geographical reputation and craftsmanship. This signals a broader push toward export-oriented sports manufacturing, local value-chain development, and reducing dependence on imported high-end sports equipment.
Traditional Knowledge: The announcement also appears to extend to traditional knowledge registrations, although the practical application of such protection within the sports sector remains unclear, it would benefit artisans, indigenous communities and traditional manufacturers if found to be applicable .
Kashmir Willow and the Expanding Role of GIs in Sport
Among the various aspects of the announcement, the Government’s specific reference to Kashmir Willow cricket bats was noted. While geographical indications have traditionally been associated with agricultural and handicraft products, their relevance within the sports industry is becoming increasingly visible in regions where manufacturing practices are closely tied to local reputation, specialised skill and regional identity.
Kashmir Willow cricket bats, which already enjoy GI recognition, represent one such example where commercial value is linked not only to functionality, but also to geographical origin and craftsmanship. The addition of GIs within the waiver therefore suggests that the initiative extends beyond conventional sports branding and into the broader system surrounding sports manufacturing, regional enterprise and export-oriented production.
The Government’s references to manufacturing hubs in India, such as Meerut and Jammu & Kashmir further indicate an attempt to strengthen local sports manufacturing and commercially valuable regional products through intellectual property protection.
What still remains unclear?
Despite the positive response to the announcement, several practical and legal questions remain unanswered. The initiative still requires formal notification and implementation guidelines from the relevant authorities, including the IP office. Until then, the precise scope of the scheme remains uncertain.
One important issue is what falls under the definition of ‘sports-related’ and whether foreign entities qualify. Sports equipment manufacturers, leagues, athlete-led brands, sports academies and sportswear companies would likely fall within the scope of the scheme. However, the position is less clear for adjacent sectors such as esports, online gaming platforms, fitness applications, sports nutrition products and athlete management services.
Another important distinction is between official filing fees and professional legal costs. Even if government fees are waived, businesses may still incur significant expenses for drafting, prosecution, oppositions, renewals, licensing and enforcement.
For Sports Businesses, this may be the time to revisit IP strategy.
The waiver is likely to push sports businesses to examine the intellectual property they already possess but may not yet have protected formally. Businesses operating in the sector may therefore benefit from reviewing their existing IP assets and identifying which of them carry long-term brand value.
At the same time, businesses will also need to closely monitor the formal notifications expected from the Government, particularly on questions relating to eligibility, procedural requirements and the scope of “sports-related” intellectual property under the scheme.
Conclusion
India’s initiative of three-year sports IP fee waiver reflects the growing commercialisation of the sports industry and the increasing importance of intellectual property within it. If implemented effectively, the initiative could encourage wider and earlier IP protection across sports businesses, startups and manufacturing sectors.
Its long-term success, however, will ultimately depend on the clarity and scope of the framework introduced by the Government and IP Office.
Written by
Keerthana ML
Disclaimer: The featured image in this article is an AI-generated illustration.
