Delhi High Court grants Dynamic Injunction against Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Meesho & Others in Reliance trademark suit

Reliance Industries Limited (the plaintiff), a leading Indian conglomerate with a global footprint, approached the Delhi High Court under Order 39 Rules 1 and 2, seeking urgent interim relief against multiple defendants for unauthorized use of its well-known trademarks “RELIANCE” and “JIO,” along with related artistic packaging elements. The plaintiff also sought protection from ongoing copyright infringement and passing off. Delhi High Court grants Dynamic Injunction against Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Meesho & Others in Reliance trademark suit.

The marks “RELIANCE” and “JIO” are registered across numerous jurisdictions and product categories. The trademark “RELIANCE” has been in continuous use since the 1960s, while “JIO” was introduced in 2011 for the plaintiff’s telecommunications venture, which later diversified into areas such as digital platforms, retail, and online commerce. Both brands have been officially acknowledged as “well-known” by the Supreme Court of India and the Bombay High Court.

In June 2025, Reliance came across various fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) such as poha, wheat flour, lentils, and salt being marketed under unauthorized versions of its trademarks on major e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho, Snapdeal, and IndiaMart. Investigation revealed that the products originated from defendants, who allegedly used nearly identical brand names, logos, color schemes, and packaging styles, including Reliance’s distinctive flame logo.

These actions, the plaintiff argued, were a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers into believing the goods were associated with Reliance. Most infringers operated using false identities, making them hard to trace. Due to the urgency and potential risk to public health—given that the infringed goods were for consumption—Reliance sought exemption from pre-litigation mediation and immediate judicial relief.

Justice Saurabh Banerjee found the case meritorious and granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction. The Court prohibited the defendants, as well as any additional parties identified during the course of the proceedings, from producing, marketing, distributing, or engaging in any commercial activity involving the use of the marks “RELIANCE,” “JIO,” or any confusingly similar variations. This also extended to the use of packaging imitating Reliance’s artistic designs and overall product presentation.

Further, the Court held that the defendants’ actions were clearly aimed at exploiting Reliance’s brand reputation. Given that both parties operated in overlapping market segments and targeted a similar consumer base—including vulnerable, semi-literate customers—the risk of confusion was high. In such sectors, particularly involving food items sold online, even slight brand imitation could mislead consumers and cause harm.

The Court also directed major online platforms including Amazon and IndiaMart, to delist the infringing product listings and provide the complete contact and financial details of the sellers involved. These platforms were instructed to promptly take down future infringing listings upon notification from the plaintiff.