India

India has taken a significant step towards simplifying its corporate consolidation framework with the codification of fast-track mergers under the Companies Act, 2013. Governed by Section 233 and read with Rules 25 and 25A of the Companies (Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations) Rules, 2016 (as amended), this mechanism enables a select category of companies to bypass the otherwise lengthy and complex National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) process. In parallel, Section 234 of the Companies Act, 2013 facilitates cross-border mergers involving Indian and foreign companies, subject to regulatory approvals—most notably from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). With recent regulatory reforms, India is positioning itself as a favourable jurisdiction for inbound mergers, including the increasingly relevant concept of reverse flipping—the relocation of company domiciles from foreign countries back to India.

Ranjan Narula and Eeshani Sharma of RNA, Technology and IP Attorneys explain how India’s legal framework applies to video game characters and question whether it needs to ‘level up’, given the industry’s rapid evolution

Achuthan Sreekumar of Anand and Anand draws on a recent High Court of Delhi ruling on the unauthorised use of Ratan Tata’s identity to consider how Indian jurisprudence protects well-known personal names

India’s rapidly expanding pet food industry presents several intellectual property challenges. Ranjan Narula and Shipra Alisha Philip of RNA, Technology and IP Attorneys explore the landscape and provide insights into strategies for market players

Anand Barnabas and Anandan S of De Penning & De Penning explain how businesses with a strong technology and R&D focus can use freedom-to-operate searches to mitigate intellectual property infringement risks and target growth through innovation

Ranjan Narula, Swati Dalal, and Vanshika Oberoi of RNA, Technology and IP Attorneys explore the legal framework, challenges, and enforcement strategies for protecting well-known trademarks in India