What to protect first with a limited budget

Typical priority for a product business in India:
1. Trade mark for the brand (cheap, long-lived, stops copy-cats at the marketplace level).
2. Design registration for the distinctive look (fast grant, strong against look-alikes).
3. Patent for the mechanism that gives you a technical edge — provisional first, then decide on complete and foreign filings based on traction.
4. Copyright notices and assignments for software, content and packaging art.
5. Trade secrets for processes and formulations you can keep confidential.

Startups recognised by DPIIT and small entities pay reduced official fees and get expedited examination options — ask which apply to you.