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Rise in India’s Patent Applications: WIPO

Last updated on March 12th, 2025 Posted on March 12, 2025 by NEXT IAS Current Affairs Team  189

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

  • India has witnessed a significant rise in intellectual property (IP) filings over the past decade, marking its progress as an innovation-driven economy.

About

  • According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), India’s patent applications have more than doubled, trademark filings have risen 2.5 times, and design filings have tripled.
  • India has been ranked 39th in the 2024 Global Innovation Index and is a leader in Central and Southern Asia.

What is Intellectual Property?

  • Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.
  • IP is protected in law by patents, copyright and trademarks, which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create. 

Types of intellectual property

  • Patent: A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. 
  • Copyright: It is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works.
  • Trademark: It is a sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises. 
  • Industrial design: It constitutes the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of an article.

Challenges in India’s IP Regime

  • Patent Backlog: Despite increasing filings, patent examination and grant delays remain a significant issue.
  • IP Infringement: Weak enforcement mechanisms, leading to rampant counterfeiting and piracy.
  • Low Patent Commercialization: Many patents filed in India do not get commercialized due to lack of industry-academia collaboration.
  • Global Competitiveness: India’s innovation is dominated by foreign applicants, reflecting low domestic R&D investments.

India’s initiative 

  • National IPR Policy 2016 encompassing all IPRs into a single vision document setting in place an institutional mechanism for implementation, monitoring and review of IP laws.
    • The policy encourages innovation and creativity by providing stronger protection and incentives for inventors, artists, and creators. 
  • Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM): It has been set up to coordinate the implementation of the National IPR Policy.
  • National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM), a flagship program to impart IP awareness and basic training in educational institutes.
  • Scheme for Facilitating Startups Intellectual Property Protection(SIPP): It is introduced to foster innovation and entrepreneurship by providing a supportive ecosystem for startups to protect and manage their IP assets.
  • Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): It was set up by NITI Aayog in 2016  to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India. AIM has created four programs to support these functions:
    • Atal Tinkering Labs
    • Atal Incubation Centers
    • Atal New India Challenges and Atal Grand Challenges
    • Mentor India.

Concluding remarks

  • India’s impressive IP growth, marked by significant advancements in patents, industrial designs, and trademarks, underlines its commitment to fostering innovation and reinforcing its global economic presence. 
  • This momentum supports India’s broader goals of economic expansion and innovation-driven development.
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 
– It is a self-funding agency of the United Nations, that serves the world’s innovators and creators, ensuring that their ideas travel safely to the market and improve lives everywhere.
– History: WIPO was established in 1967 by the WIPO Convention. 
– Members: The organization has 193 member states including both developing and developed nations like India, Italy, Israel, Austria, Bhutan, Brazil, China, Cuba, Egypt, Pakistan, the U.S. and the U.K.
1. India joined WIPO in 1975. 
– Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
Global Treaties
– Madrid Protocol for Trademark Registration (1989): It allows businesses to register and manage trademarks in multiple countries through a single application. With 115 members covering 131 countries, including India, it simplifies trademark protection, reduces costs, and centralizes renewals and modifications.
– Hague System (1925): It enables industrial designs to be protected in multiple countries through a single application. Also administered by WIPO, the system has over 70 contracting parties covering 96 countries. However, India is not a member.

Source: BL

 
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