Goodai Global Inc v. Shahnawaz Siddiqu & Anr.
At its core, the dispute centers on whether Shah Siddiqui’s registration of the ‘Beauty of Joseon’ trademark in India, despite Goodai Global’s well-established presence since 2010 both nationally and internationally, was an act of bad faith and deceptive imitation. Goodai Global, renowned for its premium skincre line inspired by traditional Korean beauty secrets, had already gained significant consumer recognition in India before discovering that Siddiqui had secured an identical trademark under a ‘proposed to be used’ basis.
The petitioner claimed that the respondent had intentionally copied their brand’s name and design to create confusion. The petitioner explained that both trademarks were so similar in appearance and sound that it would be easy for consumers to mistake one for the other. They believed this wasn’t just a coincidence but a deliberate move by the respondent to confuse customers and takea advantage of the brand’s strong reputation and popularity in the market.
The Respondent Shah Siddiqui’ did not file any response, which became one of the factors for the court to rule in favor of the petitioner. In trademark cases, a party’s failure to respond often results in a ruling favouring the opposing side. This is because a lack of defense is generally interpreted as an implicit admission of the claims made by the opposing party, strengthening their position in the dispute.
The Delhi High Court single judge bench headed by Amit Bansal observed that it highly suspicious that an unrelated entity in India chose to use a Korean-language brand name. It questioned why the respondent would adopt a mark with Korean Hangeul characters, especially since they had no ties to Korea or the beauty industry, making the choice seem unjustified.
The Hon’ble Court’s observation highlights the need for stricter scrutiny in cases, where the genuineness of an entity is in question, especially when the entity has no relation with the brand, brand’s origin country, its culture, but still seeks to register it. The decision reinforces the necessity of due diligence in trademark registrations while ensuring that intellectual property laws continue to support innovation, market fairness, and consumer trust. By stressing thorough checks during the registration process, the decision isn’t just about legal formalities. It reassures innovators and global businesses that India’s Hon’ble Courts won’t turn a blind eye to blatant trademark squatting. When a foreign Company invests years building a brand, only to find a copycat trying to lock down their name in a new market, this ruling acts as a shield. It sends a clear message trademark laws exist to protect creativity and honest commerce, not to reward scheming tactics.
Full Judgement – https://indiankanoon.org/doc/85670102/