Pakistan Applauds Australian Court’s "Basmati" Ruling Against India
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce has lauded a decision by the Federal Court of Australia to reject an appeal filed by India concerning the registration of the word "Basmati." The Australian court’s ruling, announced on Wednesday, effectively prevents India from solely claiming the intellectual property rights to the Basmati rice varietal within Australia.
The dispute over the "Basmati" name has been a long-standing point of contention between the two South Asian nations, both significant producers and exporters of the aromatic rice. India had sought to register "Basmati" as a geographical indication (GI) in Australia, a move that would have given it exclusive rights to use the term for rice originating from specific regions in India.
Pakistan has consistently argued that Basmati rice is a shared heritage and that its unique characteristics are also attributable to geographical regions within Pakistan. The Ministry of Commerce described the Australian court’s decision as a significant victory for Pakistan, affirming its position in the international Basmati market. This ruling is expected to have positive implications for Pakistani Basmati rice exports to Australia and potentially influence similar disputes in other international jurisdictions.
