Pakistan has secured a legal victory in Australia after the Federal Court rejected an appeal by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) seeking exclusive rights over the name “Basmati.” The court dismissed APEDA’s appeal in the trademark case and ordered the Indian authority to pay the legal costs of the opposing party.
The ruling reinforces Pakistan’s position that “Basmati” is not the exclusive property of India and supports the rights of Pakistani exporters to use the name in the Australian market. According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, the Australian court’s decision reinforces Pakistan’s long-standing position that Basmati is a product associated with both Pakistan and India.
APEDA had sought to register the term “Basmati” as a trademark in Australia. However, the Australian Registrar of Trade Marks rejected the application in 2022. The Ministry of Commerce said Australian authorities have already acknowledged that Basmati rice is also produced in Pakistan, allowing Pakistani traders and exporters to use the name “Basmati” in the Australian market.
The ministry said the ruling strengthens Pakistan’s historical and geographical rights over Basmati and confirms that no single country or organisation can claim exclusive rights to the name. The decision is being described as a victory for Pakistani Basmati farmers, millers and exporters, protecting their commercial and intellectual property rights and allowing Pakistani exporters to market authentic Basmati rice in Australia.