INTA Deepens Multi-Stakeholder Engagement Through India Presidential Delegation

From March 9 to March 12, 2026, INTA undertook its presidential delegation visit to India, led by INTA 2026 President Deborah A. Hampton, CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo, and Chief Policy Officer Heather Steinmeyer.

Spread across Mumbai and New Delhi, the delegation brought together Internet governance engagement, corporate dialogue, government and judicial interactions, and regional enforcement collaboration, reflecting INTA’s holistic approach to intellectual property (IP) advocacy.

India is home to one of INTA’s most active and engaged member communities, whose support and participation were instrumental in the success of the delegation.

The delegation began in Mumbai with participation in ICANN85, one of the world’s most important gatherings on Internet governance. A key highlight was a bilateral meeting with ICANN CEO Kurtis Lindqvist and his team, where discussions focused on the upcoming “.brand” application round and the growing importance of strategic digital identity and long-term brand presence online.

INTA also hosted a well-attended reception at ICANN85, with Khaitan & Co. as host, providing an opportunity to engage with ICANN leadership, members active in the ICANN stakeholder group the Intellectual Property Constituency, the broader ICANN community, and India’s local INTA membership community.

INTA’s participation in ICANN reaffirmed the Association’s continued commitment to the ICANN ecosystem and to the multi-stakeholder model that underpins global Internet governance.

While in Mumbai, INTA convened a closed-door in-house practitioner and general counsel (GC) dialogue on Brands and Intangible Assets as Enterprise Strategy. This invitation-only discussion brought together leading Indian GCs, including Sidharth Sharma (Tata Sons), Amit Bhasin (Marico), Deepak Acharya (Aditya Birla Group), and Dr. Sanjeev Gemawat (Essar Group). Across the discussion, GCs and in-house leaders shared unfiltered perspectives on how brands, trust, and intangible assets are framed at the board table—covering topics such as translating IP into boardroom language, aligning brand stewardship with business ambition, managing risk and reputation, and equipping legal teams to move beyond protection toward strategic value creation.

A major highlight of the Mumbai program was INTA’s Integrating IP, Finance, and Valuation Workshop, hosted at the iconic National Stock Exchange of India (NSE). The workshop opened with a keynote address by Ashishkumar Chauhan, CEO of the NSE, and featured discussions on the growing convergence among IP, capital markets, and enterprise value in India. The discussions made clear that IP is increasingly being viewed not merely as a legal right, but as a core driver of enterprise value, investment decisions, and long-term competitiveness.

The delegation then moved to New Delhi, where it held high-level bilateral meetings with senior Indian government leadership. These included meetings with the Hon’ble Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, and the Hon’ble Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India (MeitY).

The delegation also had the privilege of visiting the Supreme Court of India, where it met with the Chief Justice of India, the Hon’ble Justice Surya Kant; the Hon’ble Justice Joymalya Bagchi; and the Hon’ble Justice Manmohan. The exchange highlighted the critical role of the judiciary in shaping IP jurisprudence and responding to evolving technological challenges.

Other notable meetings and interactions included engagements with the Hon’ble Justice Prathiba Singh (Delhi High Court); the Hon’ble Justice Jyoti Singh (Delhi High Court); Professor Unnat P. Pandit (Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks); Abhishek Singh (Additional Secretary, MeitY, and CEO, IndiaAI Mission); Manish Mani Tiwari (Commissioner, Customs & Export Promotion, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs), and Sushil Pal (Joint Secretary, MeitY).

Discussions focused on strengthening IP protection and enforcement, addressing emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence, and ensuring that India’s policy framework continues to support innovation and investment.

Regional Anti-Counterfeiting Policy and Practice Seminar

Another key component of the delegation was the Regional Anti-Counterfeiting Policy and Practice Seminar for India and South Asia, jointly organized by INTA and the UK Intellectual Property Office, with the World Intellectual Property Organization serving as a knowledge partner. The seminar brought together IP office and customs officials from Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, marking the first time these key South Asian economies convened in a single forum to discuss coordinated approaches to combating counterfeiting.

The delegation also had the opportunity to engage with members at a reception in New Delhi graciously hosted by Lall & Sethi, which provided a valuable platform for informal exchange with INTA members and the broader IP community.

Across every engagement, whether with policymakers, judges, corporate leaders, or enforcement officials, one message was clear: India is deeply committed to strengthening its IP ecosystem, and INTA is proud to be a trusted partner in supporting this journey through sustained engagement, global expertise, and convening key stakeholders.

The Indian government’s focus on IP protection, enforcement, and respect for rights holders sends a strong and encouraging signal to innovators, brand owners, and investors worldwide. At the same time, the openness to dialogue and collaboration reflects a forward-looking approach to policy and institution building.

INTA is deeply grateful to its members in India for their invaluable support in making this delegation a big success. Special thanks to Safir Anand (Anand and Anand); M.S. Bharath (Kria Law); Shailendra Bhandare (Khaitan & Co.); Vijayalakshmy Malkani (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited); Shwetasree Majumder (Fidus Law Chambers); Madhu Rewari (Anand and Anand); Ankit Sahni (Ajay Sahni & Associates); Prabhu Tandon (Ashwathh Legal); Michael R. Graham and Gaurav Gogia (United & United); Anomi Wanigasekera (Julius & Creasy); Nancy Roy and Jyoti Kaur (Lall & Sethi); and R.C. Subedi (Apex Law Chamber).

The 2026 India Delegation reaffirmed India’s importance as a strategic priority for INTA and highlighted the value of sustained, multi-stakeholder engagement in addressing the evolving challenges of IP.

INTA India Consultant Gauri Kumar supports the Association’s members in India and South Asia. In collaboration with staff at INTA’s headquarters in New York City and Representative Offices around the world, Ms. Kumar works on the Association’s policy, membership, marketing, and communications initiatives throughout India. To learn more about INTA’s activities in India and South Asia, please contact Gauri Kumar. 

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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