India: Advertising, Marketing & Branding

On 15 June 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued, inter alia, the Reserve Bank of India (Non-Banking Financial Companies – Responsible Business Conduct) (Second Amendment) Directions, 2026, introducing a comprehensive new chapter governing how non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) (including housing finance companies (HFCs)) advertise, market, and sell their own and third-party financial products and services, as set out under the Reserve Bank of India Directions, 2025.

In a decision reinforcing the importance of brand reputation and trademark protection in India, the Delhi High Court has declared GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited’s (“GSK”) trademark “CALPOL” as a “Well-Known Trademark” under Section 2(1)(zg) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The ruling came in the backdrop of a trademark dispute involving the marks “CALPOL” and “WALPOL”, wherein the Court recognized the extensive goodwill, reputation, and long-standing commercial presence associated with the CALPOL brand in India.

The Delhi High Court's landmark ruling in the Hindware case examines whether Google's practice of allowing competitors to bid on trademarked keywords constitutes infringement, even when the trademark itself remains invisible to consumers. This analysis explores how the Court navigated the intersection of traditional trademark law and algorithmic advertising systems, questioning whether platforms can monetize brand searches by selling that commercial moment to rivals. The judgment fundamentally challenges th

Launching a new business involves more than product development, funding and customer acquisition. One of the most valuable assets a company builds over time is its brand identity. Business names, logos, slogans...

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released draft guidelines requiring brands to disclose the use of Artificial Intelligence in advertising.

“India’s ‘Mounjaro brides’: weight-loss injections become part of pre-wedding preparation” is the title of an April 2026 article carried by Reuters. Doctors in India describe a rise in pre-wedding enquiries from brides, and some grooms, seeking GLP-1 drugs such as Mounjaro as a shortcut to a slimmer body before the ceremony, often against a backdrop of intense pressure around appearance.

On December 24, 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a regulatory advisory (RCD-02004/7/2025) directing food business operators, beverage manufacturers, brand owners, advertisers, and e-commerce platforms to desist from using the term "tea" for beverages that are not derived from the Camellia sinensis plant.

The rapid expansion of India's skincare and personal care sector has brought renewed attention to a category of products commonly referred to as "cosmeceuticals" being formulations that straddle the conceptual boundary between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Few sectors process personal data as continuously, invisibly and unavoidably as telecom operators and OTT platforms making them among the most susceptible to data privacy risks.