India
Legal Basis | Patents Act 1970 effective 20 April 1972
Patents (Amendment) Act 1999 effective 1 January 1995 Patents (Amendment) Act 2002 effective 20 May 2003 Patents (Amendment) Act 2005 effective 1 January 2005 Patents Rules 1972 effective 20 April 1972 Patents (Amendment) Rules 2003 effective 20 May 2003 Patents (Amendment) Rules 2005 Patents (Amendment) Rules 2006 effective 5 May 2006 Patents (Amendment) Rules 2016 effective 16 May 2016 |
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Major international treaties signed |
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Costs of obtaining a patent | Please contact us at india@mirandah.com |
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Average time to obtain a patent | 5 to 6 years from filing in India | ||||||||||||
Official language for patent prosecution | English or Hindi | ||||||||||||
Non-patentable subject matter |
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Grace period for prior disclosure or sale | Public disclosure: First application not later than 12 months after the first disclosure
Public working (use): Prior working in India, 12 months before the priority date |
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Major prosecution events |
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Filing and prosecution procedures | Stage 1: Filing Stage 2: Publication & Pre-Grant Opposition (if any) Stage 3: Examination Stage 4: Grant Stage 5: Post-Grant Opposition (if any) Stage 6: Renewal/ Annuity |
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Extension of office action deadlines | 3 months | ||||||||||||
Necessary document for filing | A copy of PCT publication or Specification (in English or Hindi) Verified English translation of PCT publication / specification (if applicable) Power of Attorney (Form 26) Assignment/Inventor(s) Executed Form1 (may be submitted later) PCT IB304 or Certified copy of priority document (may be submitted later) Verified English translation of priority document (if applicable, may be submitted later) |
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Pharmaceutical Data Exclusivity Laws | Not available | ||||||||||||
Search and Examination | Indian patent office conducts Substantive Examination on its own | ||||||||||||
Opposition term | Pre-Grant: After publication of the application and any time before the grant of patent Post-Grant: One year from the date of publication of grant |
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Term of patent protection | 20 years | ||||||||||||
Patent term extension | Not available | ||||||||||||
Restoration of lapsed patent | Within 18 months from the date of lapse | ||||||||||||
Parallel Imports | Available | ||||||||||||
Other forms of patents (e.g. Petty/innovation patents) | Patents of Addition | ||||||||||||
Useful links | www.mirandah.com www.ipindia.nic.in |
Infringement offence | Available |
Specialized courts for IP | Not available. However, Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) is available to hear appeal against decision made by the Intellectual Property Office. |
Outline of the enforcement steps | Notice of Cease and Desist Infringement lawsuit |
Relief against groundless threats | Available |
Declaration of non-infringement | Available |
Preliminary injunctions | Available |
Time frame for various legal actions | Revocation – 1 to 2 years Infringement proceeding – 2 to 3 years |
Alternative Dispute Resolution | Arbitration Conciliation |
Availability of damages and other relief for infringement | Injunction Account of profits Seizure, forfeiture or destruction of goods found to be infringing without payment of compensation |
Civil Remedies | As per above |
Criminal Sanctions | Not available |
Patent Applications
Year | Resident | Non-Resident | Total |
2001 | 2,379 | 8,213 | 10592 |
2002 | 2,693 | 8,772 | 11465 |
2003 | 3,425 | 9,188 | 12613 |
2004 | 4,014 | 13,452 | 23675 |
2005 | 4,721 | 19,661 | 24382 |
2006 | 5,686 | 23,242 | 34614 |
2007 | 6,296 | 28,922 | 35218 |
2008 | 6,425 | 30,387 | 36812 |
2009 | 7,262 | 27,025 | 34287 |
2010 | 8,853 | 30,909 | 39762 |
2011 | 8,841 | 33,450 | 42291 |
2012 | 9,553 | 34,402 | 43955 |
2013 | 10,669 | 32,362 | 43031 |
2014 | 12,040 | 30,814 | 42854 |
2015 | 12,579 | 33,079 | 45658 |
Patent Grants
Year | Resident | Non-Resident | Total |
2001 | 529 | 1,020 | 1549 |
2002 | 619 | 921 | 1540 |
2003 | 615 | 911 | 1526 |
2004 | 851 | 1,466 | 2317 |
2005 | 1,396 | 2,924 | 4320 |
2006 | 1,907 | 5,632 | 7539 |
2007 | 3,173 | 12,088 | 15261 |
2008 | 2,541 | 13,520 | 16061 |
2009 | 1,725 | 4,443 | 6168 |
2010 | 1,208 | 5,930 | 7138 |
2011 | 776 | 4,392 | 5168 |
2012 | 722 | 3,606 | 4328 |
2013 | 594 | 2,783 | 3377 |
2014 | 720 | 5,433 | 6153 |
2015 | 822 | 5,200 | 6022 |
Source: WIPO