New Delhi, July 22 (IANS) Intellectual Property (IP) filings in the last five years have increased by 44 per cent from 4,77,533 in 2020–21 to 6,89,991 in 2024–25, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Jitin Prasada said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

He added that the highest growth was observed in Geographical Indications (GI) with a 380 per cent increase, followed by Designs (266 per cent), Patents (180 per cent), Copyright (83 per cent), Trademarks (28 per cent), and Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Designs (SICLD) with a 20 per cent rise.

The government has undertaken several initiatives to enhance intellectual property activities and foster innovation and boost IP filing in India, which include amendment of the IP laws and rules to streamline and simplify the processing of IP applications, eliminate irregularities and bottlenecks, and enhance the use of IT and digital technologies, the minister said.

Timelines have been fixed and streamlined for patents, electronic submission of documents by patent agents has been made mandatory, and the fee has been reduced by 10 per cent for online filing of applications and documents.

The frequency of filing ‘working statements of patents’ has also been reduced from once a year to once in every three years to lessen the administrative burden and compliance costs on the applicants. Besides, the requirements and timelines for providing foreign filing details have been streamlined to simplify the patent application process, further reducing processing requirements and costs, the minister said.

Processing of Trade Mark applications has also been simplified and streamlined, with 74 forms being replaced with 8 consolidated forms. The process for the determination of well-known marks has been laid out.

The processing of design applications has been streamlined, and international classification under the Locarno Agreement has been adopted.

In the case of copyrights, compliance requirements for the registration of software have been reduced, and the functioning of copyright societies has been made more accountable and transparent. The procedure for Geographical Indications registration has also been simplified, and significant fee concessions have been given to Startups, MSMEs, and Educational Institutions, the minister further stated.

He also highlighted that IP Offices have been digitised and made online to make the system more compact, time-bound, transparent and easier to use by applicants as well as Examiners and Registrars/ Controllers.

A comprehensive E-Filing System has been introduced for the online filing and submission of Patent, Design, and Trade Mark applications and documents. Applicants no longer need to visit the IP office for filing and processing of their applications, with more than 95 per cent of Patent and Trademark applications now filed online.

–IANS

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