Pakistan has secured a major legal victory in Australia after the country’s Federal Court dismissed an appeal by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in a dispute over the use of the name “Basmati.”
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, the Australian court also ordered APEDA to pay the legal costs of the opposing party.
The Federal Court of Australia rejected APEDA’s appeal against an earlier decision concerning the registration of the word “Basmati” as a trademark.
The Ministry of Commerce said the ruling effectively thwarted India’s attempt to establish exclusive rights over the Basmati name in the Australian market.
The ministry described the judgement as confirmation of Pakistan’s longstanding principled position that no single country or institution can claim monopoly rights over the name Basmati.
India sought to register Basmati name
The dispute began after the Indian agency applied to register the word “Basmati” as a trademark in Australia. However, the Australian Registrar of Trademarks rejected the Indian application in 2022, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
India subsequently challenged the decision through an appeal, which has now been dismissed by the Australian Federal Court.
The court’s latest ruling also requires APEDA to pay the legal costs of the opposing party.
Australia recognises Pakistani Basmati production
Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce said Australian authorities had already acknowledged that Basmati rice is produced in Pakistan as well as India.
The ministry emphasized that the historically recognized Basmati-producing region encompasses areas of both countries.
As a result, Pakistani traders and exporters can use the name Basmati, while the ruling prevents any single country or institution from claiming exclusive ownership of the term.
The Ministry of Commerce described the judgement as an important victory for Pakistan’s Basmati farmers, rice millers and exporters.
The decision protects the commercial and intellectual property rights associated with Pakistani Basmati and preserves the ability of Pakistani businesses to market authentic Basmati rice in Australia.
Pakistani exporters will therefore retain the right to market authentic Pakistani Basmati in the Australian market.
The ministry said the ruling also strengthens Pakistan’s historical and geographical claim to Basmati and reinforces the position that the rice’s recognized production region spans parts of both Pakistan and India.
Pakistan opposed Indian monopoly attempts
Pakistan has consistently opposed what it considers Indian attempts to monopolize the Basmati name in international markets.
The Australian ruling is being viewed by Islamabad as another confirmation of Pakistan’s position that Basmati is a shared geographical and agricultural heritage rather than a name that can be exclusively controlled by one country.
The Ministry of Commerce said the decision represents an important step in protecting Pakistan’s legitimate commercial interests and intellectual property rights in international markets.
Jam Kamal congratulates commerce ministry
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan congratulated the Ministry of Commerce team on Pakistan’s success in the Australian legal case.
He said coordinated efforts played an important role in protecting Pakistan’s legitimate rights over Basmati.
The ministry said the combined efforts of relevant stakeholders were instrumental in defending Pakistan’s position and securing the latest legal outcome.
What the ruling means for Basmati trade
The Australian court’s decision allows Pakistani Basmati producers, millers and exporters to continue using the Basmati name when marketing authentic Pakistani rice in Australia.
For Pakistan’s rice industry, the ruling carries significance beyond the individual trademark dispute because it protects access to an important international market while reinforcing the country’s historical connection to Basmati production.
The Ministry of Commerce said the judgement represents a significant victory for Pakistan’s Basmati sector and safeguards the rights of farmers, millers and exporters against attempts to establish a monopoly over the name.
