New Delhi, Apr 29 (KNN) Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday announced that all intellectual property (IP) registrations related to sports will be made free of charge for a period of three years, effective immediately.
The announcement was made at the World IP Day 2026 event organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
The waiver will cover a wide range of IP categories, including trademarks, copyrights, patents, designs, geographical indications (GIs) and traditional knowledge. The Minister directed officials to issue a notification to operationalise the decision at the earliest.
Push for sports manufacturing ecosystem
Piyush Goyal also called for scaling up India’s sports goods manufacturing ecosystem, highlighting clusters in Jalandhar and Meerut as existing hubs that require expansion.
He pointed to the Kashmir Willow bat as an example of India’s untapped potential in sports manufacturing and urged the development of dedicated facilities in Jammu and Kashmir.
Focus on innovation and R&D
The Minister emphasised the need to establish assisted equipment manufacturing hubs and promote innovation in sports technology, including advanced training equipment for athletes.
Earlier, Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, said the government is working on a dedicated scheme to promote domestic sports goods manufacturing, with a focus on research and development, startup support and intellectual property creation.
He noted that India’s sports manufacturing base remains limited and lacks global competitiveness, with many elite athletes still dependent on imported equipment.
Industry perspective
Anant Swarup, Secretary General, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said intellectual property plays a key role in driving innovation, competitiveness and growth in the sports sector.
Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, Jammu and Kashmir at the World IP Day event highlighted opportunities to develop winter sports infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir.
Marie Paule Rizo, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) emphasised the importance of making IP accessible to startups, MSMEs and individual creators.
Advisory for athletes
The Commerce Minister cautioned sportspersons against endorsing products without due diligence, noting concerns over misleading claims related to nutrition and supplements.
The IP registration fee waiver is expected to encourage innovation, strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and promote wider participation in the sports ecosystem, particularly among startups and MSMEs.
(KNN Bureau)
2012-01-26
