Fake goods on the rise in India; illicit trade increases 44% in two years, new report shows

A study from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in India has revealed that the trade of fake goods in the country rocketed from 2011-2012 to 2013-2014. This confirmation that illicit goods are a pervasive part of the Indian economy – estimated to be between 8% and 15% of the country’s total gross domestic product (GDP) – serves as a stark reminder that the global trademark community urgently needs to focus awareness and enforcement efforts in the region.

The research was released by FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying Economy (CASCADE), which was set up in 2011 to explicitly address the growing illicit trade being witnessed in India. The primary aims of the committee are to generate awareness on the hazardous impact of counterfeit products in the country and to assist law enforcement agencies, including judges, the police and customs officials, in the fight against fakes. However, research evidencing the scale of the problem has also been a focus and its recent study, as well as a letter subsequently sent to the government, highlights a number of startling findings.

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