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In a trademark dispute before the Delhi High Court, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. (IndiGo) has filed a lawsuit against Mahindra Electric Automobiles Ltd., accusing them of infringing its registered trademark "6E." IndiGo’s "6E" mark is prominently used in its airline services, including flight promotions and in-flight offerings. Mahindra, however, launched its electric vehicle, the "BE 6e," and argued that there is no likelihood of confusion as their mark pertains to automobiles, a distinct class under trademark law.

Mahindra further clarified that its trademark application for "BE 6e" in Class 12 (vehicles) is valid and distinct from IndiGo’s use of "6E" in aviation-related services. Despite this, IndiGo claims that the use of the mark by Mahindra, which also features the number "6," could mislead consumers due to the visual and phonetic similarities between "6E" and "BE 6e."

The Delhi High Court is currently assessing whether IndiGo's trademark "6E" qualifies as a "well-known" trademark, which could extend protection beyond its specific registered class (aviation services). The case highlights the issue of how trademarks are protected when companies in different industries may use similar branding, raising questions about the potential for consumer confusion.

At this stage, the court has yet to issue a final ruling, but the case could set an important precedent for how trademark disputes are resolved between industries as diverse as aviation and electric vehicles.

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Prepared by : Drashti S. Varmora (Advocate)