Pakistan has secured a major win in the international dispute over the Basmati name after the Federal Court of Australia dismissed an Indian appeal.
India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, or APEDA, had challenged an earlier rejection of its Basmati word mark application. The court also ordered APEDA to pay the respondent’s costs, as agreed or taxed.
Read More: The Surprising Reason Food Feels Tastier at Night
“The decision vindicates Pakistan’s principled and consistently maintained position regarding Basmati as a geographical indication,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.
Australian Registrar Had Rejected Basmati Word Mark
APEDA had sought to register Basmati as a certification trade mark for rice in Australia. A delegate of the Australian Registrar of Trade Marks rejected the application on December 22, 2022.
The delegate concluded that Basmati could not distinguish APEDA-certified rice from rice legitimately marketed by other traders. The proceedings also recognised that Basmati rice is grown in Pakistan.
Australian intellectual property analysis later noted that other traders could have an equally valid claim to use the term. APEDA subsequently took the matter to the Federal Court of Australia.
By dismissing the appeal, the court left those findings intact, according to Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry.
Read More: From Breakfast Cereals to Ready Meals: WHO Prepares Guidance on Ultra-Processed Foods
“The outcome constitutes a significant victory for Pakistan’s position that Basmati originates from a historically recognised growing region spanning areas of Pakistan and India, and that no single national authority can claim an exclusive right over the word Basmati to the exclusion of producers and exporters having an equally legitimate right to its use,” the ministry said.
Ruling Protects Pakistani Basmati Exporters
The ministry said the outcome protects Pakistani Basmati growers, millers and exporters. It also preserves their right to market authentic Pakistani Basmati in Australia.
The Australian development follows a similar ruling in New Zealand. In October 2025, the New Zealand High Court dismissed APEDA’s appeal over a Basmati certification mark. The court recognised a Basmati-growing region covering areas of both Pakistan and India.
The issue carries significant commercial importance for Pakistan. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data show Basmati exports worth Rs24.943 billion in June 2026 alone.
Read More: 5 Supplements for Travel Sickness: What May Help
The Commerce Ministry said it has consistently resisted attempts to secure exclusive national rights over the Basmati name. It has worked with national institutions and industry stakeholders to defend Pakistan’s interests abroad.
The ministry said it would continue protecting Basmati based on its historical origin, established reputation and distinctive qualities.
Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan praised ministry officials and stakeholders for their coordinated efforts in the case. He called the outcome an important achievement for Pakistan’s agricultural heritage, commercial interests and export identity.
