Daily News Analysis

India Grants Record Patents

stylish_lining

1. Overview of Recent Developments

  • Increase in Patents: India has seen a significant rise in the number of patents granted over the past decade. From March 2023 to March 2024, over one lakh patents were granted, with an average of 250 patents granted every working day.
  • Patent Application Frequency: Every 6 minutes, a technology seeks intellectual property protection in India.

2. Understanding Patents

  • Definition: A patent is a form of intellectual property that grants the owner exclusive rights to make, use, or sell an invention for a limited period (20 years from the filing date in India) in exchange for full disclosure of the invention.
  • Patent Criteria: To be patented, an invention must be new, involve an inventive step, and be capable of industrial application.
  • Governing Law: The patent system in India is governed by the Patents Act, 1970, with regular updates to the Patent Rules to adapt to evolving needs.

3. Jurisdiction and Scope

  • Territorial Nature: Patents are territorial rights. A patent granted by the Indian government is effective only within India. To protect an invention in other countries, separate patents must be obtained in those jurisdictions.

4. Significance of Patents

  • Encouragement of Innovation: Patents incentivize inventors by providing exclusive rights, thereby fostering innovation and investment in research and development.
  • Protection of Intellectual Property: Patents help prevent unauthorized use and exploitation of inventions.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Patent holders must disclose the details of their inventions, contributing to the global pool of knowledge and enabling further advancements.
  • Economic Growth: A robust patent system promotes economic growth by encouraging innovation, attracting investment, and providing a competitive edge in the global market.

5. Recent Developments in Intellectual Property

  • Geographical Indications (GI): There has been a significant increase in GI registrations, showing a threefold rise compared to the previous year.
  • Copyright: The fiscal year 2023-24 saw a record number of copyright registrations, totaling 36,378. Efforts are underway to raise awareness about the role of copyright in the creative industry.
  • Design Registrations: The highest number of design registrations to date were recorded in FY 2023-24, with a total of 27,819.
  • IP Awareness: The National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) has provided IP training to 24 lakh youths, including students and teachers, across over 7,000 institutions in the past 2 years.

This surge in patent grants and other intellectual property registrations reflects India's growing emphasis on innovation and intellectual property rights. The country's efforts in increasing awareness and promoting intellectual property underscore its commitment to fostering a robust environment for creativity and economic development.

Ladakh's Demand for Sixth Schedule Status

Background Ladakh has seen renewed protests and demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule status, particularly from its predominantly tribal population. These demands have emerged following the
Share It

Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

Latest News The Supreme Court of India recently ruled that the age limits under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, do not apply to couples who had frozen their embryos and initiated the surr
Share It

Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (CDBR)

The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (CDBR), located in Himachal Pradesh, India, has recently earned global recognition as it has been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) by UN
Share It

Reinforcement Learning (RL)

The DeepSeek-AI team has recently published a paper discussing their model, called R1, which is capable of developing new forms of reasoning using reinforcement learning (RL). The paper highlights
Share It

India’s Leadership in Championing the Global South

India is positioning itself as a key advocate for the Global South, a collective of developing countries that have historically been marginalized in global governance and institutions. By bridging
Share It

Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS)

The Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS) has been launched by the Union Finance Minister at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT
Share It

Qatar

India recently defended Qatar’s sovereignty at the U.N. Human Rights Council, emphasizing its right to maintain its domestic policies and governance, particularly in light of international c
Share It

UNESCO

UNESCO's executive board has recently nominated Khaled el-Anani, the former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, to be the next Director-General of the organization. About UNESCO:
Share It

Visakhapatnam Declaration on e-Governance

The Visakhapatnam Declaration on e-Governance marks a significant step in the development of digital governance in India, emphasizing inclusive, transparent, and citizen-centric practices. Adopted
Share It

Defamation in India

Recently, a Supreme Court judge raised concerns about the increasing misuse of defamation laws by political figures and private individuals to settle personal and political disputes. The judge sug
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS