E-commerce internet site, 4 other Indian marketplaces figure in US Infamous Marketplaces Checklist : The Tribune India
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PTI

Washington, February 18
India’s preferred e-commerce web page IndiaMart.com and 4 other marketplaces, which include New Delhi’s famous Palika Bazaar, have figured in the most up-to-date once-a-year checklist of the world’s infamous marketplaces released by the US Trade Agent.
The 2021 Infamous Marketplaces Record released on Thursday recognized 42 on-line and 35 bodily markets about the earth that are noted to have interaction in or facilitate significant trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy.
The 3 other Indian markets in the checklist are Heera Panna in Mumbai, Kidderpore in Kolkata and Tank Road in Delhi.
“The world-wide trade in counterfeit and pirated merchandise undermines significant US innovation and creativity and harms American personnel,” explained US Trade Agent Katherine Tai.
“This illicit trade also will increase the vulnerability of personnel included in the production of counterfeit merchandise to exploitative labour practices, and the counterfeit items can pose sizeable pitfalls to the overall health and safety of consumers and workers all around the world,” she claimed.
The USTR report said IndiaMART, an e-commerce web site and mobile app that connects buyers with suppliers, describes itself as the world’s next greatest on the web company-to-business enterprise market. Counterfeit items can allegedly be observed in substantial volumes on IndiaMART, such as counterfeit prescribed drugs, electronics and clothing.
Suitable holders are worried with IndiaMART’s failure to sufficiently put into action anti-counterfeiting finest practices, like seller verification, penalties against regarded sellers of counterfeit merchandise, or proactive monitoring of infringing products.
IndiaMART evidently has a recognize-and-takedown procedure, but correct holders report that it is burdensome to use, the time-to-takedown is gradual, and the status of notices is not transparently communicated to right holders, the report said.
The USTR mentioned a important indoor sector positioned at the heart of Mumbai, Heera Panna, reportedly presents counterfeit watches, footwear, add-ons, and cosmetics. Proper holders warn that counterfeit cosmetics offered at this market have health and fitness and basic safety threats. A raid at Heera Panna in September 2021 resulted in arrests for selling counterfeit versions of quality watches.
Domestically recognised as ‘Fancy Market’, Kidderpore allegedly sells counterfeit apparel and cosmetics, generally in wholesale quantities. Severe skin complications, rashes, discomfort, and eye disorders have reportedly been prompted due to the weak good quality of the counterfeits, the report claimed.
Palika Bazaar stays on the notorious sector list (NML) in 2021. This underground marketplace in Delhi is seemingly nicely-recognized for the trade of counterfeit products, this kind of as cellular equipment, cosmetics, watches and eyewear.
Lots of purchasers are reportedly pupils and other youthful individuals who want fashionable items at cheap price ranges. The marketplace is also a well known spot for vacationers, the report observed.
Ideal holders report that Delhi’s wholesale Tank Street current market proceeds to sell counterfeit products, like clothing, footwear, watches, purses, electronics, and beauty goods. Wholesale counterfeit products are also reportedly equipped from this industry to other Indian marketplaces, which includes Gaffar Industry and Ajmal Khan Highway, the report claimed.
“Right holders take note that conducting enforcement steps at this locale is hard, as the sector is situated in a residential spot and sellers often surface to have advanced information of raids, restricting their usefulness,” it claimed.
USTR is an company of the US governing administration responsible for developing and endorsing American trade coverage.
USTR first discovered notorious marketplaces in the Unique 301 Report in 2006. Since February 2011, USTR has been publishing annually the Notorious Marketplaces Listing separately from the Special 301 Report, to improve community consciousness and help industry operators and governments prioritise intellectual residence enforcement initiatives that guard American businesses and their workers.
