The Indian Patent Office has granted a record number of 15,262 patents during the financial year 2007-08. This is more than double the number of patents granted (7539) during the previous year and almost eight times the number of patents granted just three years ago in 2004-05 (1911). The number of patents granted during 2007-08, the first year of the 11th Five Year Plan (FYP) compares well with the total number of patents granted during the entire 10th Five Year Plan period which was 17,618 only. The patent filings also crossed the 35,000 mark during 2007-08.

The surge in the number of patents has to do with the modernisation of the patent and other intellectual property offices. It may be noted that the Government had spent Rs.149 crore on the first phase of modernisation which resulted in the establishment of modern integrated Intellectual Property Offices in the four metros, computerisation and enhancement of the human resources. The Indian Patent Office has also introduced the facility for e-filing of applications from 20 July, 2007. The Office has also been recognised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in October 2007.

The national exchequer also stands to gain from the improved functioning of the IP Office with an income of about Rs.194 crore during 2007-08 compared to a Non-Plan expenditure of less than Rs.23 crore for the year.

The Government has recently approved the second phase of modernisation costing Rs. 300 crore. This programme would see the construction of buildings for housing ISA/IPEA operations in Delhi and for Trade Marks Registry and Intellectual Property (IP) Archives at Ahmedabad, substantial increase in human resources to meet the requirements of increased IP filings, digitisation of all the IP records and establishment of a total online office.

The Government has already separately commenced work on setting up a National Institute of Intellectual Property Management (NIIPM) at Nagpur which would cater to training, education, research and think tank functions in Intellectual Property Rights.

These steps are expected to give a big boost to the development of an innovative culture in India.

Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry
New Delhi, April 02, 2008

The year 2007-08 recorded a surge in the registration of Geographical Indications (GIs). During the year, 31 GIs were registered. This is more than the total number of GIs registered during all the previous years since the registration process commenced in India.  The total number of GI products registered in the country now stands at 61.

The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 was brought into force on 15 September 2003. This is a sui generic legislation intended to give better protection to GIs of India. The registration is done by the Geographical Indications Registry at Chennai.

The GIs registered during 2007-08, inter alia, include Muga Silk from Assam, Madhubani Paintings from Bihar, Aleppy Coir, Navara and Palakkadan Mutta Rice varieties, Malabar Pepper and Aleppy Green Cardamom from Kerala, Salem and Arani Silks and Kovai Cora Cotton from Tamil Nadu, Allahabad Surkha from Uttar Pradesh, Nakshi Kantha from West Bengal, Silver Filigree from Andhra Pradesh, and Ilkal Sarees and Monsooned Malabar Coffees from Karnataka and Kerala.

Earlier registered GIs include Darjeeling Tea from West Bengal, Chanderi Fabric from Madhya Pradesh, Solapur Chaddar from Maharashtra, Kotpad Handlooms from Orissa, Kota Doria from Rajasthan, Mysore Silk from Karnataka, Kullu Shawl and Kangra Tea from Himachal Pradesh and Pochampalli Ikat from Andhra Pradesh.

During 2007-08, the Geographical Indications Registry received 37 applications which include Bagh Prints of Dhar from Madhya Pradesh, Banaras Brocades and Sarees and Lucknow Chikan Craft from Uttar Pradesh, Kutch Embroidery from Gujarat, Naga Mircha from Nagaland, Fazli Mango from West Bengal, Pipli Applique Work from Orissa, Goan Cashew Feni from Goa, Assam Tea from Assam, and Nilgiri Tea from Tamil Nadu.  These and other applications are under various stages of processing.

In order to give a boost to the registration of GIs, the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has recently addressed all State Governments to take initiative in promoting registration of GIs of their states.

Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, has stated that a Bilateral Agreement on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cooperation between the Intellectual Property Offices of India and Singapore will be signed shortly. During his bilateral meeting with Mr. Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore, here today, Shri Nath informed that as regards ASEAN-India FTA, considerable progress was made during the last meeting in Bali and added: “I am now hopeful that we would be able to achieve our target of announcing the conclusion of negotiations at the AEM-India Consultations in August”.

During the interaction, Shri Kamal Nath said that Singapore was India’s 5th largest merchandise trading partner and 4th largest merchandise export market and added that India’s exports to Singapore grew by 16% in the year 2007-08 compared to a growth of 42% in the imports from Singapore. He further stated that Singapore ranks 4th in terms of foreign direct investment in India during the period 1991-2008 with investments of US $ 4.7 billion.

The top five sectors attracting FDI inflows from Singapore are: petroleum & natural gas, mining, services sector, construction activities and power, whereas the top five sectors attracting technology transfer are: electrical equipments (including computer software & electronics), hotel & tourism, food processing industry, chemicals (other than fertilizer) and miscellaneous mechanical & engineering industries.