What if I missed the 1-month reply deadline?

Act now. Under the 2026 Draft Manual, the Registry first sends a section 132 notice giving one more month to reply. Only then does it issue an abandonment order.

Can I delete goods to get past a cited mark?

Yes. Ask on Form TM-M to amend the application. The officer decides the amendment first, then looks at the objection again.

Can I get more than 1 month to reply to an Indian examination report?

You can ask on Form TM-M. The Registrar may grant up to 1 more month but does not have to.

Do I have to travel to India for the show-cause hearing?

No. Hearings can run by video conference, and an authorised agent can appear for you.

Where do I appeal if the Registrar refuses my mark?

To the High Court, within 3 months of the order being communicated.

How long do I have to respond to an India office action?

1 month from the date of the IPIndia notification. Some offices allow extensions on request, but the safer strategy is to file inside the original window.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

The Registrar may treat the application as abandoned. Under the 2026 Draft Manual, the Registry first sends a section 132 notice with one more month to reply, but do not count on it. A response filed inside the window keeps the original application and its date.

Office action response · IP India

IP India objected to your mark. Reply within the month.

The examination report gives you one month to reply. Silence can end the application.

Start My Response

Questions first? Ask our attorney.

Replies from $150, confirmed in writing after a free review.

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Before you start

Where did the objection come from?

An IP India examination reportYour Indian application was objected to. Our attorney drafts and files the reply.Start My Response
A WIPO provisional refusalYour Madrid mark covering India was refused. The reply still goes to IP India.Start My Response
An opposition, not an objectionA third party opposed your published mark. That needs a counter-statement within 2 months.See Opposition Defence

How pricing works

A flat fee, agreed before any work.

1
Free review

Send the report. Our attorney reads each objection and tells you the options.
2
A fixed price in writing

Replies start from $150. You get the fixed price for your reply before any work begins. A hearing or appeal is quoted the same way.
3
Office fees at cost

Any IPIndia fees are passed through at cost, itemised before you pay.

The first flat fee covers

Full review of the IPIndia office action and cited prior marks
Response strategy memo before drafting. You approve the approach
Attorney-drafted response with statutory argumentation
Acquired-distinctiveness evidence package if the refusal turns on distinctiveness
Specification amendments if narrowing helps clear the refusal
IPIndia portal filing on your behalf

Know the rules

How objections work at IP India.

To file a reply to the examination report: No fee
Form TM-M, filed online, to ask for more time: ₹900
How show-cause hearings can be held: By video
The only use that proves acquired distinctiveness: Before filing

1

Examination report issues

Emailed, posted and shown online. The status reads Objected.
2

File the reply

Arguments, a Form TM-M amendment, a consent letter, or an affidavit of use.
3

Show-cause hearing

If the reply falls short, a hearing is set, with about 30 days' notice.
4

Order and appeal

Accepted marks go to the Journal. A refusal can be appealed to the High Court.

Key dates

1 month from receipt

Reply due
+1 month

Extension on TM-M, if granted
If no reply

Section 132 notice, one more month
About 30 days before

Hearing notice arrives
3 months from order

Appeal to the High Court

Your deadlines

Your situation

Date you received the examination report

An estimate from the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. We confirm the date from the report and the online record.

Pick a date to see your own deadlines.

What you need

Affidavit of use, with dated invoices and adverts
Signed consent from the cited mark's owner, if any
Form TM-M to amend the goods or ask for time
An address for service in India, with an email

Common mistake

Relying on later use

Only use before the filing date counts toward distinctiveness.

Common mistake

Skipping the hearing

With no written reply on file, a missed hearing can end the application.

Common objections

§11(1) Relative grounds, prior similar mark
§9(1)(a) Lack of distinctive character
§9(1)(b) Descriptive or generic

Official sources (4)

The team on your file

Your attorney, and a team behind every step.

Our attorney drafts your reply and appears at any show-cause hearing. Your account team tracks every date.

Your Account Manager

Your day-to-day contact. Knows your file, so every conversation starts where the last one ended.
Your Senior Account Manager

Senior oversight on strategy and anything that escalates, so nothing important slips.

Lead attorney

Rajatpreet Singh Modi

Founder & Attorney

India-licensed advocate

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The wider GTC team

Attorneys and legal specialists supporting your matter.

Meet our team

In their words

Rajat has expertly guided me through the process of registering my company in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and more. Currently, he is safeguarding my business interests on a global scale. His dedication and expertise are unmatched.

Darius Tay, Indonesia

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Indian office action questions

What owners ask when IP India objects.

The Registry has issued an examination report with objections. It is emailed, posted and shown online. Treat the day you first received it as day one of the 1-month reply period.