Reliance-Jio trademark infringement case: Notice to Amazon and Flipkart
Business Business: The Delhi High Court has directed e-commerce platforms Amazon India and Flipkart to remove products infringing ‘Reliance’ and ‘Jio’ trademarks from their catalogue.
The order was passed by Justice Saurabh Banerjee on July 10 in response to a civil suit filed by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). RIL had approached the court alleging that several unauthorized sellers were selling fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) on the online marketplace using its trademarks. The company claimed that these products create a misleading impression that they are manufactured or endorsed by Reliance or Jio. The court agreed that such use of trademarks could cause confusion among consumers, especially because buyers on digital platforms rely heavily on brand names and logos to assess the origin and quality of goods.
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The injunction mentioned in the Delhi High Court order, which has been accessed by The Free Press Journal, restrains the 21 identified defendants from manufacturing, selling or advertising any goods bearing the mark ‘Reliance’ or ‘Jio’. It also applies to other listings that infringe the same rights. The court’s order is dynamic in nature, which means that the e-commerce platform will have to actively identify and remove any additional infringing listings.
The order states, “As per the information available with the plaintiff, defendants Nos. 1 to 21 are engaged in the commercial business of manufacturing, distributing, marketing and/or selling various Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), including but not limited to Poha, Wheat Flour, Makhana, Pulses, Masoor, Salt and similar products under the plaintiff’s well-known and registered ‘Reliance’ and ‘Jio’ initials trademarks.” The court said, “If any confusion between such products is allowed to continue, it may pose a threat to consumer safety. Therefore, this court has to take a more cautious and stringent approach.”
Apart from Amazon and Flipkart, platforms such as Meesho, IndiaMART and Snapdeal were also mentioned during the proceedings. The court has also asked these platforms to disclose details of the respective sellers and cooperate in preventing recurrence of such trademark misuse. Reliance, through its legal counsel, clarified that it operates in the FMCG sector—selling groceries, fresh produce and packaged goods—and any unauthorised use of its brand may mislead consumers and harm its reputation. The case highlights the growing scrutiny on marketplace accountability in India’s e-commerce ecosystem, particularly in the context of trademark enforcement.
