Have Intellectual Property filings surged by 44 percent to surpass 6.89 lakh?

New Delhi, July 22 (NationPress) The number of Intellectual Property (IP) filings has surged by 44 percent over the past five years, rising from 477,533 in 2020–21 to a staggering 689,991 in 2024–25, as reported by Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Jitin Prasada in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

He noted that the most significant growth was seen in Geographical Indications (GI), which experienced a remarkable increase of 380 percent. Other notable increases included Designs with 266 percent, Patents at 180 percent, Copyright up by 83 percent, Trademarks rising 28 percent, and Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Designs (SICLD) growing by 20 percent.

The government has launched numerous initiatives aimed at boosting intellectual property activities to foster innovation and increase IP filings in India. These initiatives include amendments to IP laws and regulations designed to streamline and simplify the processing of IP applications, eliminate irregularities, and leverage IT and digital technologies, according to the minister.

Specific timelines have been established for patent processing, with electronic document submissions by patent agents now mandatory. Additionally, a 10 percent fee reduction for online application filings has been implemented.

To ease administrative burdens, the frequency of submitting ‘working statements of patents’ has been changed from annually to every three years. The requirements for providing foreign filing details have also been simplified, which reduces processing requirements and costs, the minister added.

The processing of Trade Mark applications has been made more efficient, replacing 74 forms with just 8 consolidated forms. The criteria for determining well-known marks have also been clarified.

Design application processing has been improved, adopting international classifications under the Locarno Agreement. For copyrights, the compliance requirements for software registration have been minimized, and the operations of copyright societies have been made more accountable and transparent. The registration process for Geographical Indications has been simplified, with significant fee reductions available for startups, MSMEs, and educational institutions, the minister noted.

Furthermore, he emphasized that IP offices have been digitized and transitioned to online platforms, making the system more compact, timely, transparent, and user-friendly for both applicants and examiners. A comprehensive E-Filing System has been introduced, enabling the online submission of Patent, Design, and Trade Mark applications without the need for physical visits, with over 95 percent of Patent and Trademark applications now filed electronically.