Mahindra to contest 'BE 6e' brand rights dispute against IndiGo in court

Mahindra says it would rebrand the name of its upcoming electric SUV "BE 6e" as "BE 6" to avoid unnecessary distractions

Mahindra & Mahindra is set to contest IndiGo's trademark claim on the name "BE 6e" for its upcoming electric SUV in court, even as the automobile giant said that it would rebrand its SUV as “BE 6” to avoid unnecessary distractions. 

 

The legal tussle centres on IndiGo’s claim that the ‘6e’ mark, integral to its identity, is being infringed upon by Mahindra’s new vehicle branding.

 

The dispute arose after IndiGo, India's largest airline, raised concerns about the similarity between "BE 6e" and its callsign "6E." IndiGo, which operates under the callsign “6E” and has registered trademarks for its variants, including ‘6e Link’ across various classes, argues that Mahindra’s use of the mark risks diluting its brand identity. 

 

“The ‘6E’ mark, whether standalone or in its variants, is an integral part of IndiGo’s identity, representing nearly two decades of global recognition,” said an IndiGo spokesperson.

 

Mahindra, however, has dismissed the allegations as unfounded. A spokesperson for Mahindra noted that the brand name ‘BE 6e’ is part of its electric-origin SUV portfolio, with the mark filed under Class 12 of trademarks, which pertains to motor vehicles.

 

"Our mark is 'BE 6e,' not the standalone '6E,'" said a Mahindra spokesperson in a press release. "We believe it differs fundamentally from IndiGo's '6E,' which represents an airline, eliminating any risk of confusion."

 

Mahindra further highlighted that IndiGo itself had previously used the brand name "IndiGo" despite objections from Tata Motors regarding their "Indigo" car brand. The company feels IndiGo's current stance is inconsistent.

 

Despite asserting that IndiGo’s claims lack merit, Mahindra announced that it would rebrand “BE 6e” as “BE 6” to avoid unnecessary distractions. “While we stand by our right to the BE 6e mark, we believe large Indian multinationals should focus on championing each other’s growth, rather than engaging in avoidable conflicts,” the company said in a statement.

 

Despite the rebranding to "BE 6," Mahindra maintains its belief that the claim against "BE 6e" is baseless. The company fears that an unfavourable court decision could set a precedent for restricting the use of alphanumeric two-character trademarks across industries.

 

"We will thus continue to strongly contest this in court and reserve our right to the brand name BE 6e," the spokesperson added.

 

The matter, first presented before the Delhi High Court on December 5, saw Justice Amit Bansal recuse himself from the case. It is now scheduled to be heard on December 9.