The Supreme Court has granted Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp interim relief, allowing the company to continue using its hexagonal logo in India until a final ruling is reached in its ongoing trademark dispute with Bengaluru-based fintech firm, Atyati Technologies Pvt. Ltd. This decision effectively puts a stay on a previous order by the Bombay High Court that had restrained Cognizant from using the logo.
The legal battle began in 2023 when Atyati Technologies filed an infringement suit, claiming that Cognizant's hexagonal logo was deceptively similar to its own orange, honeycomb-style hexagonal mark, which Atyati has been using since 2019 to represent collaboration and impact. Cognizant countered that Atyati was aware of its logo usage since 2022 but only disclosed this knowledge in October 2023, alleging concealment of facts when seeking an injunction.
In March 2024, a single-judge bench of the Bombay High Court initially ruled in favor of Atyati, finding strong similarities between the two logos and imposing a ban on Cognizant's use of the hexagonal design. However, this ban was lifted in June 2024 after the court observed that Cognizant had been using the logo since 2022. Subsequently, on August 26, 2024, a division bench led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep V. Marne reinstated the injunction, asserting that Atyati had presented a valid case despite the questions surrounding disclosure.
Following the reinstated ban, Cognizant removed the logo from its website and social media platforms in India. The company maintains detailed branding guidelines outlining logo use, a practice not commonly seen among IT outsourcers.
Cognizant's decision to appeal to the Supreme Court highlights the significance of this trademark dispute. The outcome of the case will be an important test for Cognizant's branding strategy and how Indian courts balance the interests of established global players against emerging domestic firms.
This isn't Cognizant's first encounter with branding or legal challenges. In May 2024, the company briefly experimented with prefixing "Innovate" to its name on job postings and social media as part of its Bluebolt innovation program. Furthermore, Wipro Ltd filed suits in 2023 against Cognizant over the hiring of its former CFO, Jatin Dalal, and top healthcare executive, Mohd Ehteshamul Haque, citing breach of non-compete clauses.
The Supreme Court's interim order allows Cognizant to continue using its hexagonal logo while the legal proceedings continue. The final verdict will have significant implications for both companies and could set a precedent for future trademark disputes in India.
