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International Cooperation

International Cooperation in Intellectual Property (IP) is essential for fostering innovation, protecting creators' rights, and stimulating global trade. As technology advances and the world become increasingly interconnected, the need for IP protection laws and robust enforcement mechanisms across borders becomes more pressing.

Effective IP systems help ensure that creators and innovators can protect their ideas and reap the benefits of their work, regardless of geographical boundaries. International treaties and organizations, such as World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), play a crucial role in providing a framework for cooperation, resolving disputes, and ensuring that intellectual property is respected and upheld globally. By aligning IP policies and promoting shared standards, countries can encourage cross-border collaboration, attract investment, and create a fair and predictable environment for global trade.

ABOUT US

The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks (O/o CGPDTM) has established the International Affairs Division (IAD), a division dedicated to facilitating global IP cooperation. The IAD serves as a critical link between the IP systems of different countries, ensuring the exchange of best practices, negotiation of treaties, and strengthening of international partnerships. By coordinating global IP efforts, the division plays a vital role in fostering a more cohesive and unified approach to IP management, benefiting innovators, businesses, and consumers worldwide.

The division not only manages bilateral cooperation with foreign IP offices such as the USPTO, UKIPO, JPO, and EUIPO etc. through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Work Plans but also actively participates in multilateral agreements, including those with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under its various international treaties, the WIPO-India Action Plan, and the BRICS Agreement.

BILATERAL COOPERATION

Bilateral cooperation in Intellectual Property (IP) involves two countries working together to strengthen IP protection and enforcement through mutually agreed frameworks and agreements. By sharing best practices, resources, and technical assistance, bilateral agreements help improve IP systems, fostering innovation and trade between the partnering nations.

The Office has signed various Work Plans with foreign IP Offices under the active MoUs signed between DPIIT and their foreign counterparts.

Status of MoU and Work Plan with other countries:

S. No.	Country/Intergovernmental Organization	Status of MoU	Status of Work Plan
1.	EUIPO	Active	Active
2.	TIPO, Taiwan	Active	Active
3.	ROSPATENT	Active	Active
4.	USPTO	Active	Active
5.	DKPTO	Active	Active
6.	CIPO	Active	Active
7.	PRV, Sweden	Active	Active
8.	INPI, France	Active	Active
9.	JPO	Active	Active
10.	UKIPO	Active	Active
11.	WIPO	Active	Active
12.	Italy	Active	Not Active
13.	IPOS	Active	Not Active
14.	INPI, Portugal	Active	Not Active
15.	IPI, Switzerland	Active	Not Active

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED WITH FOREIGN IP OFFICES IN THE YEAR 2024-2025 (TILL DATE)

December 2024
1.	An examiner exchange program between the O/o. CGPDTM and the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) was organized from 2^nd December 2024, to 6^th December 2024 in the fields of Chemistry and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at IPO, Chennai. {Report Link}
2.	An online session was conducted between O/o. CGPDTM and EUIPO on “Design Systems” on 10^th December 2024.{Report Link}
3.	A review meeting between the JPO, the O/o. CGPDTM and the DPIIT to review the Action Plan and New Cooperation Proposals was organized at VanijyaBhwan, Delhi on 13^th December 2024.
4.	Two officials from the O/o. CGPDTM participated in the “JPO/IPR Operational Patent Examination Training Program (OPET)” from 22^nd October to 22^nd November 2024(Online) and 9^th December to 18^th December 2024 (Offline). {Report Link}
5.	An online session was conducted between the O/o. CGPDTM and the USPTO on the administration of USPTO’s Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) on 17^th December 2024. {Report Link}
November 2024
1.	An official from O/o. CGPDTM participated in Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC) program from 28^th October to 19^th November 2024 in Denmark.{Report Link}
2.	An online session was conducted between O/o. CGPDTM and DKPTO on “Best practices exchange in Design examination” on 13^th November 2024.{Report Link}
3.	An official from the O/o. CGPDTM participated in the WIPO-PCT Regional Seminar for ASEAN IP Offices from 27^th to 29^th November 2024 in WIPO Singapore Office. {Report Link}
October 2024
1.	An official from the O/o. CGPDTM attended the Advanced InterGI Europe 2024 training organized by CIRAD and REDD under the WIPO Grant in Espelette, France from 30^th September to 5^th October 2024. {Report Link}
2.	A virtual meeting on “Hague Industrial Designs Agreement” between the O/o. CGPDTM and the USPTO was conducted on 30^th October 2024.{Report Link}
3.	Two Indian IP practitioners attended the ‘JPO/IPR Training Course for Practitioners Specializing in Patents’ training which was conducted in hybrid mode from 18^th September to 15^th October 2024 (online) and 30^th October to 7^th November 2024 (in-person) in Tokyo, Japan. {Report Link}
September 2024
1.	One official from the O/o CGPDTM participated in the “JPO/IPR Training course for IP Trainers” organized from 27^th August to 6^th September 2024 (Online) and 29^th September to 2^nd October 2024(Offline). {Report Link}
August 2024
1.	A workshop was organized by O/o. CGPDTM, CBC and DKPTO on “Inventive step assessment using the EPO’s Problem Solution Approach” on 28^th August 2024 in Delhi. {Report Link}
2.	A round table program by O/o. CGPDTM, DKPTO and CSIR was conducted on "Patenting of Inventions from Biotechnology and Biomedical fields" on 30^th August 2024 in NCL Pune.{ Report Link}
July 2024
1.	An online session on “Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and TKDL Issues” between Taiwan and the O/o. CGPDTM was held on 3^rd July 2024.{Report Link}
2.	An online knowledge-sharing session was conducted with DKPTO on 4^th July 2024 on “Disclosure requirements present in our respective domestic systems in view of Article 3 of the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge”.{Report Link}
3.	One IP official from the O/o. CGPDTM attended ‘Summer School program of the Center for International Intellectual Property (IP) Studies (CEIPI) University of Strasbourg’, which took place from 25^thJune to 6thJuly 2024, in Strasbourg, France. {Report Link}
June 2024
1.	A virtual session on QMS and ISO requirements was conducted by DKPTO and O/o. CGPDTM on 20^th June 2024. The participants included In-Charges of RECS, RMID, GPM and representatives from Examination Division composed of Controllers.
2.	One IP official from the O/o. CGPDTM attended ‘New Southbound Intellectual Property Conference’ which was scheduled for 18^thand 19^thJune 2024 in Taiwan.{ Report Link}
3.	A 'WIPO-RGNIIPM Advanced Training Course on Patent Search and Examination for Asia and the Pacific' was conducted from 24^th to 28^th June 2024 in New Delhi.
4.	An online IP Manthan program on “GI Protection System in India and Russia” was successfully conducted on 27^th June 2024. {Report Link}
May 2024
1.	A collaborative USPTO-IPO “Seminar on the Protection of Geographical Indications” was held in Kanchipuram on 8^th and 9^th May 2024 followed by an excursion to a local GI production facility.
April 2024
1.	A "Seminar to share best practices on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by each IP Office” was conducted on 9^thApril 2024 between the JPO and IPO.
2.	An online information exchange session on Trade Marks was held with UKIPO on 10^thApril 2024.
3.	An online IP Manthan program on “Appeal systems (TMs and Designs) in India and EUIPO” was conducted on 12^thApril 2024.
4.	An online session on “Trade Marks Comprising Geographical Names and Examination Guidelines on Likelihood of Confusion” was conducted between Taiwan and the O/o. CGPDTM on 18^th April 2024.
5.	Joint UKIPO- O/o. CGPDTM World IP Day event was held at NLU, Delhi on 25^th April 2024.

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED WITH FOREIGN IP OFFICES IN THE YEAR 2023-2024

March 2024
1.	A High-Level Webinar for IP Practitioners in India was organized by the WIPO-CIPA in collaboration with IPO, India and UKIPO on 6^th March 2024.
2.	A WIPO Master Class on IP Adjudication was conducted by WIPO in New Delhi from 7^th to 9^thMarch 2024.
January 2024
1.	An online meeting on the “Copyright registration practices in the USPTO” was conducted on 19^th January 2024.
December 2023
1.	An online IP Manthan program with EUIPO on “Unveiling the New EU Regulation on Geographical Indications” was conducted on 19^th December 2023.
November 2023
1.	Terms of reference for Management workshops between the O/o. CGPDTM and DKPTO were held from 23^rd to 24^th November 2023.
2.	An online “Information exchange session on the best practices on patent examination” was conducted between PRV, Sweden and O/o. CGPDTM on 30^th November 2023 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
October 2023
1.	An online session on “Streamlining the patent filing procedure” was conducted between the UKIPO and the O/o. CGPDTM on 4^th October 2023.
2.	An online Information exchange session was conducted between CIPO and O/o. CGPDTM on “Education tools and resources to build respect for IP” in October 2023.
3.	An information exchange program on “Initiatives on IP awareness” was held between PRV, Sweden and O/o. CGPDTM on 26th October 2023.
4.	The Director General of WIPO, Mr. Daren Tang visited India from October 11-13, 2023. During this visit, the DG WIPO met with higher officials from different ministries and discussed contemporary issues in the IP field.
September 2023
1.	A physical meeting between the CGPDTM and DDG DKPTO was held in Mumbai in September 2023 to discuss a concept note: Green IP Highway.
2.	An online session on Streamlining the patent filing procedure was conducted between the USPTO and the O/o. CGPDTM on 25^th September 2023 for one hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (IST).
August 2023
1.	A webinar on ‘IP tools for customers available at the DKPTO home page’was held for one hour from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on 29^th August 2023.
May 2023
1.	A one-hour online session of IP Manthan on “Role of TTOs in Universities and Research Institutes for IP Awareness, IP Generation and IP Commercialisation” on 1^st May 2023.
2.	A one-week workshop on quality management system (QMS) was conducted by the DKPTO in the month of May at IPO Delhi.
3.	An online meeting was held between IPO, CBC and DKPTO on 15^th May 2023 on the topic “Sharing of best practices in capacity building of employees”.
4.	The USPTO in conjunction with the U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Delhi held a workshop on the topic “Intellectual Property Rights Investigative Methods Workshop (IPRIM)” from 15^th to 19^th May 2023 at Kathmandu, Nepal.
5.	An IPO-USPTO Joint Program was held on the topic “Patent Office Administration” and “Patent Post-grant Proceedings” between the USPTO and the O/o. CGPDTM from 24^th to 26^th May 2023.
April 2023
1.	A session on ‘Sharing of best practices - IP Awareness Generation Campaigns’ was conducted with DKPTO on 19^th April 2023.

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED WITH FOREIGN IP OFFICES IN THE YEAR 2022-2023

March 2023
1.	An online session was conducted by the US government agencies on enforcement mechanism in the USA on 9^th March 2023.
February 2023
1.	A meeting between CGPDTM and the Intellectual Property Group consisting of Japanese companies (IPG) was held in New Delhi on 3^rd February 2023.
2.	A programme on ‘IP for Development-Learning from the WIPO Best Practices’ was held on 8^th February 2023 at IIC, Delhi. The event was chaired by JS, DPIIT and attended by Mr. Andrew Michael Ong, Director, Division for Asia and the Pacific, WIPO, Head of IP Offices and other IP officials.
3.	A bilateral meeting was held between President, EAPO and the CGPDTM on the sidelines of World Intellectual Property Forum on 20^th February 2023 in Bengaluru.
4.	CGPDTM-USPTO joint events were conducted in Guwahati and Imphal on 14^th Feb 2023 and 16^th Feb 2023 respectively. Two officials from IP, India joined the events.
5.	US TPF IP Working Group Meeting was conducted in online mode on 28^th February 2023.
January 2023
1.	A one-week workshop on quality management system (QMS) was conducted by the DKPTO from 30^th Jan 2023 to 3^rd Feb 2023 at IPO Delhi.
December 2022
1.	A technical workshop on Cooperation, Examination and Practices was conducted for representatives of the IP Office of India by EUIPO from 5^th to 7^th December 2022 in New Delhi.
October 2022
1.	A one-week workshop on quality management system (QMS) was conducted by the DKPTO from 17^th to 21^st October 2022 at IPO Delhi.
September 2022
1.	An information exchange program on Opposition Procedures was conducted between USPTO and O/o CGPDTM from 7^th September to 9^th September 2022 in New Delhi.
2.	A Design knowledge exchange program was conducted between DKPTO and O/o. CGPDTM in Kolkata from 19^th September to 20^th September 2022.
3.	A Trademark knowledge exchange program was conducted between DKPTO and O/o. CGPDTM in Mumbai from 22^nd September to 23^rd September 2022.
May 2022
1.	An introductory meeting on Industrial Designs was held in the Designs Wing, Kolkata from 12^th to 13^th May 2022. Both sides presented their respective practices regarding registration of designs and related administrative and practical aspects, including cancellations/revocations.
2.	An introductory meeting on Trade Marks was held in the Trade Mark Registry, Mumbai on 17^th May 2022. Both sides presented their respective practices regarding registration of trademarks and related administrative and practical aspects, including oppositions and cancellations.
3.	A one-week workshop on Quality Management System (QMS) was conducted by the DKPTO from 23^rd to 27^th May 2022 at IPO Delhi.
April 2022
1.	Four Officers from the Indian Patent Office participated in the course "Fostering Innovation and Commercialization of IPR" under the DFC Scholarship Program in Denmark in April-May 2022.

COOPERATION WITH THE WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (WIPO)

The Office engages in various WIPO meetings, conferences, and discussions on IP policy, contributing to the development of global IP frameworks and standards. India is a party to several key WIPO treaties that help streamlining and protectingIP globally, including, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), Madrid Protocol and Berne Convention etc.The Office also collaborates with WIPO to conduct several activities under the WIPO-India Action Plan (link).The office participated in the following WIPO meetings/sessions in the year 2024- 2025 (till date):

1.	32^nd Session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP). CDIP is responsible for creating a work program to implement the forty-five recommendations of the Development Agenda. It monitors, assesses, and reports on the progress of these recommendations, coordinates with relevant WIPO bodies, and discusses intellectual property and development-related issues as determined by the Committee or the General Assembly.
2.	The Diplomatic Conference to conclude an International Legal Instrument relating to Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Traditional Knowledge associated with Genetic Resources.
3.	The CGPDTM attended the ‘WIPO-MCST-COV International Symposium on copyright enforcement’ held at Hanoi, Vietnam from 17^th to 21^st June 2024.
4.	'WIPO-RGNIIPM Advanced Training Course on Patent Search and Examination for Asia and the Pacific' was conducted from 24^th to 28^th June 2024 in New Delhi.
5.	The 65^th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the 57^th Session of the WIPO General Assembly, 2024. The meetings were focused on reviewing WIPO's progress, setting future priorities, and making decisions on key policy and procedural matters, including the renewal of the IGC mandate and discussions on intellectual property, genetic resources, and traditional knowledge.
6.	The 12^th Session of the Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS). CWS serves as a forum to adopt new or revised WIPO Standards, policies, recommendations, and statements of principle relating to intellectual property data, global information system-related matters, information services on the global system, data dissemination, and documentation.
7.	The 21^st Session of the Working Group on the Legal Development of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks which focuses on updates to the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks.
8.	The 31^st Session of the Meeting of International Authorities under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT-MIA), hosted by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).
9.	The 36^th Session of the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP). The SCP is currently discussing five key substantive topics: exceptions and limitations to patent rights, including aspects like experimental use, scientific research, prior use, and regulatory approval; quality of patents, with a focus on patentability criteria, inventive steps, opposition systems, and AI’s role in patent examination; the relationship between patents and health, including the impact on access to medicines and vaccines, and the retrieval of patent information; confidentiality of communications between patent advisors and clients, particularly in cross-border legal proceedings; and technology transfer, exploring the role of patents in facilitating or impeding the transfer of technology, with practical examples shared by members and observers.
10.	The 13^th Session of the Working Group on the Legal Development of the Hague System which focuses on updates to the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs.
11.	The 10^th Session of the WIPO Conversation on AI Output: To Protect, or Not to Protect.
12.	The Diplomatic Conference to conclude and adopt a Design Law Treaty (DLT) held at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
13.	The PCT Regional Seminar for ASEAN Member States on Enhanced Use of the PCT System and Patent Examination Procedures.
14.	The 48^th and 49^th Sessions of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge, and Folklore (IGC). The WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge, and Folklore (IGC) has been entrusted with a renewed mandate aiming to finalize international legal instruments for the protection of traditional knowledge (TK), and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs). The mandate includes sessions focused on negotiations, stocktaking, and resolving outstanding issues. Discussions on TK and TCEs will continue, with an emphasis on narrowing differences and achieving consensus. The Secretariat will provide technical assistance and facilitate the participation of Indigenous Peoples, while the committee will report its progress to the General Assembly in 2025.
15.	The 33^rd Session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP).

COOPERATION UNDER BRICS AGREEMENT

The O/o. CGPDTM also participate in various IP meetings under the BRICS multilateral agreement. The BRICS meetings attended in the year 2024- 2025 (till date) are as follows:

a) The O/o. CGPDTM participated virtually in the 16^th BRICS Heads of IP Offices (HIPO) meeting held from 10^th October to 11^th October, 2024 under the chairship of Russia. The BRICS IP Offices approved the following documents:

Project proposal by ROSPATENT “The role of IP offices in technological development and identifying breakthrough technologies”;
Project proposal by CNIPA-China “Comparative Study of Practices Concerning Product Indications”;
Project proposal by CNIPA-China “Common Statistical Indicators”;
Project proposal by O/o CGPDTM-India “Traditional Systems of Medicine and Knowledge for use in Modern Science”;
Project proposal by O/o CGPDTM-India “AI and Machine Learning Intervention in Trademark and Design”;
“BRICS Patent Information Services Report” prepared by CNIPA-China.

b) IP BRICS Examiners’ Training Program on “Development of Universities and Research Institutes: Incentives, Patenting and Commercialization” was organized virtually from 9^th December to 13^th December 2024.