What Is the Trademark Journal?

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Published 6 August 2026 · Updated 6 August 2026 · 1 min read

The Trade Marks Journal is the Trade Marks Registry's official publication listing applications that have been accepted for registration, made available on the IP India website.

Why publication matters

Journal publication isn't a formality — it's the trigger for the opposition period. From the date a mark is published, third parties have four months to file a notice of opposition if they believe the mark conflicts with their existing rights. If that window passes without an opposition being filed, the application proceeds to registration.

What happens before publication

An application only reaches the journal after clearing examination — either with no objection raised, or after successfully responding to one. Publication is effectively the Registry saying it has no further objection of its own; what remains is giving the public a chance to raise one.

Why it's worth monitoring, not just waiting on

Checking the journal isn't only relevant to your own applications — reviewing it for marks that resemble yours is one of the practical ways to catch a conflicting filing (including a bad-faith one, see trademark squatting) within the opposition window, rather than discovering it after registration when your options are more limited. Journal publication is Step 6 of our trademark registration guide.