At the India IP Advantage Summit 2026, our Managing Partner, Mr. Vikrant Rana, had the privilege of moderating an insightful panel discussion hosted by the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) on “The Brand is the Asset: Trademark Portfolios, Geographical Indications and Cross-Border Brand Protection: Owned with Strategic Intent.”
The session explored how brands have become critical business assets that require the same strategic planning and protection as patents and other forms of intellectual property. The discussion covered the importance of building strong trademark portfolios, the role of intellectual property in investment and business valuation, challenges faced by digitally native and D2C brands in protecting their identity across jurisdictions, the commercial potential of Geographical Indications (GIs), and the growing need for proactive cross-border brand protection as Indian businesses expand globally.
The distinguished panel featured:
- Mr. Mohammad Faisal | Head, Intellectual Property Rights, Tata Motors Limited
- Ms. Padmaja Ruparel | Co-founder, Indian Angel Network (IAN)
- Mr. Saurav Patnaik | Co-founder, ThriveCo
- Ms. Latha R. Nair | Senior Intellectual Property Counsel and Geographical Indications Expert
- Mr. Nipun Rathi | Head, Legal, Imagine Marketing Limited (boAt)
The exchange of perspectives from manufacturing, investment, entrepreneurship, legal practice, and consumer brands reinforced a common theme: Brand protection is no longer a legal compliance exercise. It is a strategic business imperative that directly contributes to enterprise value and global competitiveness.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) for organising this timely discussion and convey our special thanks to Mr. V. K. Gauba Additional Director General, and Mr. Virat Bahri, Joint Director, TPCI, for his efforts in bringing together such an accomplished panel. We also thank all the esteemed panellists for generously sharing their valuable insights and experiences. It was a privilege for S.S. Rana & Co. to contribute to this important conversation on the evolving role of intellectual property in shaping India’s global business landscape.
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