Newsroom

MoU between WIPO and FICCI to Boost IP Ecosystem for Startups & MSMEs

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

• Objective: To strengthen India’s intellectual property (IP) ecosystem with a special focus on startups and MSMEs.

• Key Initiatives:

  • Training and capacity-building programmes across India.

  • Advisory support to help innovators leverage IP for business growth.

  • Guidance on IP filing, protection, enforcement, and commercialisation.

• Significance: This collaboration aims to bridge the gap between policy frameworks and on-ground usage of IP, ensuring that smaller players are not left out of India’s innovation economy.
  Source: WIPO

India Sees 44% Surge in IP Filings Over Five Years

India’s IP ecosystem has recorded robust growth between 2020-21 and 2024-25.

• Total Applications: Increased from ~477,533 to ~689,991.

• Category Growth:

  • Geographical Indications (GI): 380%

  • Designs: 266%

  • Patents: 180%

  • Copyrights: 83%

  • Trademarks: 28%

• Key Drivers:

  • Digitization of filing systems.

  • Simplified procedures and fee incentives.

  • Government initiatives to promote innovation and IP awareness.

• Impact: India is emerging as a major innovation hub, with domestic filings contributing significantly to this surge.
  

  Source: India Brand Equity Foundation, Mondaq

India Ranks in Top-10 Globally for Patents, Trademarks & Industrial Designs (WIPO 2024 Report)

The WIPO World IP Indicators Report 2024 places India firmly in the Top-10 globally across patents, trademarks, and industrial design filings.

• Highlights:

  • Patent applications: +15.7% growth in 2023, one of the fastest among top-20 countries.

  • Domestic participation: Over 50% of patent filings are from Indian applicants.

  • Industrial design filings: +36.4% growth in 2023.

• Why It Matters: India’s strong performance signals a shift from being a consumer of IP to becoming a producer and global competitor in the innovation space.

  
  Source: IBEF, ETGovernment

Novartis Cardiac Drug Patent Revoked

The Indian Patent Office has revoked the patent for Novartis’s blockbuster cardiac drug “Vymada” (sacubitril/valsartan).

• Grounds for Revocation:

  • Lack of novelty.

  • Lack of inventive step (considered obvious in light of existing knowledge).

• Industry Impact:

  • Opens the market for generic manufacturers in India.

  • Could reduce costs of treatment for cardiac patients significantly.

  • Reinforces India’s strict patentability standards in pharmaceuticals, preventing evergreening.

• Global Relevance: This decision highlights the balance India maintains between patent protection and public health priorities.

  
  Source: Economic Times

World Intellectual Property Organization