Though the corporate world might be circumspect of India's capability to recognise intellectual property, the award of 4,000 product patents in the last six years and more than an equal number in the pipeline is ample proof of the country's capabilities.
“Only a couple of cases are stuck in court while most have actually been awarded patents,” said Mr P.H. Kurian, Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks and Geographical Indications, department of industrial policy and promotions, Government of India.
The department is in the process of offering a patent information system to entities such as small and medium enterprises so that they can obtain information on patents worldwide at a low cost.
“People will start accepting patents only if more patents are filed from India and the benefits are reaped by Indians,” he said.
The department, along with the national innovation foundation, has short-listed around 2000 projects done by engineering students in India as patentable.
At the panel discussion on innovation at the India Economic Summit in Mumbai it was pointed out that MNCs usually do only the development portion of R&D in India, but seldom research.
Speaking on jugaad — the Indian ability to find localised innovative solutions to constraints faced in real life — the panel said innovation does not happen in isolation. It happens only if there is an open mind to observe and learn from every domain in and around.
India has been at the forefront of affordable innovation because of people's ability to address constraints and also the aspirations and dreams of the people at large, the panel said. Innovation can succeed only if it moves from being a utility to a need and then to a solution as an opportunity to address a problem and finally addressing people's dreams and aspirations.
The panel observed that India lacked the link that brought all entities related to innovation together — innovator, venture capitalist and SME. The SME commercialises the idea. The link is usually provided by lawyers in the West.