This paper examines the ways in which national and regional identity are expressed through typographic forms, such as signage and indigenous forms of communication. In particular it will consider the difficulties of identifying and protecting vital regional differences in a climate of globalisation and accelerated technological change.

It will acknowledge attempts by a number of contemporary designers working in India to identify the essential components of typographic identity, both on a regional and national level. It will move on to speculate how these projects may be of benefit to designers working in the expanding European community. The paper will be illustrated throughout with examples of typographic forms from various regions of India, The Czech Republic and the UK.