IndiGo Airlines has sued Mahindra Electric in the Delhi High Court for trademark infringement over the right to use 6E in Mahindra’s BE 6E electric SUV that is due for launch in February 2025.
IndiGo believes that “6E” is a part of its brand identity, used as a callsign for the past eighteen years and for passenger services.
The disagreement started when Mahindra was allowed to obtain the trademark “BE 6E” under Class 12 concerning vehicles. IndiGo contends that it may cause confusion to the general consumer and damage its image. But, Mahindra denies that it was a trademark infringement issue as ‘BE 6E’ doesn’t refer to an airline but to an automobile and that they are currently seeking a business solution.
Legal Context:
Trademark registration in India is possible for brands within particular classifications, however, the similar trademarks have been refused by the Indian courts if such trademarks are used in different industries and create confusion among the consumers.
Those factors are illustrated through IndiGo’s case as the company aims to protect global recognition of the brand.
Previous Disputes:
This is not IndiGo first trademark ordeal. While in 2015, Tata motors claimed that the airline’s name was very similar to its sedan Indigo and in 2016 GoAir challenged the use of the ‘Go’ prefix.
The given move of Mahindra to adopt “6E” is considered as risky and could have been avoided by experts. The hearing of the case is presently fixed for December 9 though the verdict will clearly set the tone for future trademark cases in India.
