Lok Sabha Question No. 125 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-05
Subject: International Intellectual Property Index
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, SUDHEER GUPTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY & PROMOTION

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 125. TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE 5 TH  MARCH, 2018.

## INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INDEX

## *125.  SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

## वाणिज् यवव द्योग म त्री

- (a) whether the sixth edition of the International Intellectual Property Index (IIPI) has been released by the Global Innovation Policy Center recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the criteria fixed for deciding the ranking for IIPI;
- (c) whether India's ranking has slipped in IIPI;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the number of the Intellectual Property Right awareness workshops/ seminars conducted  so  far  along  with  the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the Government to improve the ranking in IIPI?

## ANSWER

वाणिज् यवव द्योग म त्री(श्री सुरेशप्रभु) THE MINISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI SURESH PRABHU)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 125 FOR ANSWER ON 5 TH  MARCH, 2018.

- (a) & (b): The sixth  edition  of  the  International  Intellectual  Property  Index  (IIPI) has  been  released  by  the  U.S.  Chamber  of  Commerce  Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC) recently.

The  IIPI  does  not  provide  a  composite  view  of  the  IP  regime  in  the country. The 6 th edition of the IIPI is based on 40 IP indicators that are selective,  and  are  not  a  true  reflection  of  the  state  of  IP  rights protection and innovation in India.

- (c): The 6 th edition report places India at the 44 th rank out of a total of 50 countries,  up  from  45  countries  in  the  5 th edition.  India's  ranking  for past few years is as under:

|   Year |   India's Rank |   No. of countries |
|--------|----------------|--------------------|
|   2018 |             44 |                 50 |
|   2017 |             43 |                 45 |
|   2016 |             37 |                 38 |
|   2015 |             29 |                 30 |
|   2014 |             25 |                 25 |
|   2012 |             11 |                 11 |

Since the number of countries covered has been  increasing in every edition,  India's  relative  ranking  has  not  slipped.  GIPC  in  its  country report  of  India  has  stated  that ' India's  overall  score  has  increased substantially from 25% (8.75 out of 35) in the 5 th edition of the Index to 30% (12.03 out of 40) in the 6 th edition. This reflects a relatively strong performance in the new indicators as well as positive reform efforts on patentability of computer-implemented inventions (CII) and registration procedures of well-known marks'.

- (d): Question does not arise.
- (e): As  per  available  information,  880  workshops/  seminars  have  been conducted by various departments and organisations of the Government of India in 2016-17 and 2017-18 to spread awareness on IPRs.

India  has  a  Trade  Related  Aspects  of  Intellectual  Property  Rights (TRIPS) compliant, robust, equitable and dynamic Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime. India has a well-established legislative, administrative and judicial framework to safeguard IPRs, which meets its international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities provided in the international regime to address its developmental concerns. While the Government of India undertakes  various  steps  to  strengthen  the  IPR regime in the country keeping in view our developmental needs, these steps are not undertaken with the aim of improving the ranking in IIPI. The steps undertaken include the following:

- (i) The National IPR Policy, 2016 was adopted on 12.05.2016 as a vision  document  to  guide  future  development  of  IPRs  in  the country.
- (ii) To have synergy between different IP offices, the administration of  Copyright  Act,  1957  and  Semiconductor  Integrated  Circuits Layout-Design Act, 2000, along with their associated Registries, has  been  transferred  to  the  DIPP.    Subsequently,  under  the Finance Act, 2017, the Copyright Board has also been merged in the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
- (iii) The Patent Rules, 2003 and the Trademark Rules, 2002 have been  amended  whereby  the  IP  processes  have  been  reengineered  to  streamline  them  and  make  them  more  userfriendly.
- (iv) Manpower in the Intellectual Property offices has been augmented significantly through creation of new posts. Recruitment has been completed for 459 posts of Examiners of Patents and Designs, in addition to the earlier 130. The number of  Examiners of Trademarks and Geographical Indications has also been augmented through 59 examiners on regular basis in addition  to  the  existing  63,  as  also  84  examiners  on  contract. This  augmentation  of  manpower  has  already  had  a  salutary effect on the examination and disposal of patent and trademark applications.
- (v) An IPR enforcement handbook has also been prepared, which is a ready reckoner for police officials across the country in dealing with IP crimes of counterfeiting and piracy.
- (vi) Special provisions have been made for startups and MSMEs.

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