RIL bows out as race for tagline Operation Sindoor gathers pace

The Mukesh Ambani-led company said it had no intonation of trademarking the phrase and abided by its “India First commitment”

On a second thought and probable advise, Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) on Thursday withdrew its application for a patent on wordmark “Operation Sindoor” — the codename of India’s “precision strike” military action on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK — a day after applying for it.

The Mukesh Ambani-led company said it had no intonation of trademarking the phrase and abided by its “India First commitment”.

“Reliance Industries has no intention of trademarking Operation Sindoor, a phrase which is now a part of the national consciousness as an evocative symbol of Indian bravery,” RIL said in a statement.

“Jio Studios, a unit of Reliance Industries, has withdrawn its trademark application, which was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorisation,” it said. “Reliance Industries and all its stakeholders are incredibly proud of Operation Sindoor, which came about in response to a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam,” it added.

“Operation Sindoor is the proud achievement of our brave Armed Forces in India’s uncompromising fight against the evil of terrorism,” the company stated. “Reliance stands fully in support of our government and armed forces in this fight against terrorism. Our commitment to the motto of ‘India First’ remains unwavering,” it added. Hours after news broke about the bombings in Pakistan and PoK, RIL and five others applied for trademarking the term on Wednesday. They had applied to the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks, seeking to use the phrase in entertainment-related services, including audio and video content which could be produced as movies, documentaries and serials.

A retired Air Force officer, Group Captain Kamal Singh Oberh, and Alok Kothari, a Delhi High Court lawyer, are among the contenders after RIL pulled out. The others include Mukesh Chetram Agarwal and Jayaraj T.

While Mr. Kothari told The Hindu that he would give away all the profits from the movie to war widows, the retired Air Force officer said as someone who had worked in the forces and participated in operations, he would do justice to the title.