Sports IPR fee waiver: Piyush Goyal announces three-year zero application fees in India

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday announced a three-year waiver on intellectual property rights application fees for sports-related filings. The waiver covered patents, trademarks and designs linked to the sports sector. Goyal said the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) will issue a notification.

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Speaking at World IP Day 2026, Goyal said the move aimed to support sports innovation. "So, from today, any IP, whether its trademark, copyright, patent, design, traditional knowledge, or a GI product, for three years, as a special drive to promote sports, the fee will be zero,\" Goyal said.

IPR fee waiver for sports sector filings

At present, IPR application fees differed by filing type and applicant category. The categories included individuals, startups, small firms and large companies. The government already offered discounts for startups and individuals. Even so, current fees ranged from Rs 500 to Rs 60,000 across filings.

Goyal said the DPIIT ran a scheme to help applicants complete filings. \"We have a scheme by which we handhold you applicants, provide you the support to get it registered and make your journey easier to become a part of the IP ecosystem,\" Goyal said. Goyal also said the ministry will review the waiver after three years.

IPR and sports leagues trade marks

Goyal urged sports leagues to register their trade marks for stronger commercial outcomes. \"That will help them get better media rights...That will also help you franchise your products. If your core product has an IP, then you can franchise it to others and encash value for it,\" Goyal said.

The event was organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) with industry body Ficci. It was held under the theme \"IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate\". Goyal also pointed to examples such as the Kashmirs Willow Bat, which has a Geographical Indication certification.

Sports goods manufacturing in India and import substitution

Goyal said India needed stronger domestic production of sports goods. Goyal listed items such as hockey sticks, balls and gym equipment. \"We can also look at scaling up some of the clusters where sports goods are made,\" Goyal said. Goyal added that the government could offer support measures for such efforts.

Goyal also flagged the need to study import trends in sports goods. \"So, lets study what in India is importing and lets see how we can increase the local manufacturing,\" Goyal said. Goyal encouraged Jammu and Kashmir to explore ways to raise production of these products.

During the programme, Goyal felicitated members of the J-K cricket team for a major domestic title. The side won the Ranji Trophy for the first time in more than six decades. Led by domestic stalwart Paras Dogra, J-K secured the title after a final against Karnataka.

The final took place at Hubballi on February 28. J-K held eight-time champions Karnataka to a draw. J-K won on the basis of a 291-run first-innings lead. The government’s sports-linked IPR fee waiver and related support schemes will now proceed as outlined.

With inputs from PTI