| | AUGUST 20168Consultants Reviewculture of innovation can only be promoted when "copying" of someone else's' work is seen as a stigma and when innovation& creativity is celebrated. Scholars have known the importance of Intellectual Property Right (IPR) protection as a tool to nurture a culture of innovation for some time. There remains no doubt in stating that the grant of such right, through a patent, i.e. for a limited time period following registration at Intellectual Property Office, encourages creativity and progress of Science & Technology besides promoting competition. India, understanding the value of innovation and IPR, became a signatory to the international agreement TRIPS at the World Trade Organization in 1995. After enjoying the transition period of 10 years, in 2005 India ratified the treaty and amended its Patent Law introducing patenting of products, a clear improvement from past practice. Prior to this, India had offered patenting of process (product claims were not allowed).The current Government's awareness on the benefits that IPRs provide to the Indian economy is evident through its slew of interesting initiatives that merge technology with IPR, such as `Start Up India', `Stand Up India', `Digital India' and so on. As established by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, start-ups are requested to be technology and IPR-driven in order to be able to enjoy subsidies, funding and other Government support. Education on IPR is also deemed pertinent: for instance the University Grants Commission (UGC) has called all Vice Chancellors to include IPR as an elective subject. This will allow education to young students, enabling a mindset change, thus fostering a respectable IPR culture. Moreover a recently incorporated `Special Patent regime' permits a lowered tax burden (from 30 percent to 10 percent) on royalty earnings on patents developed and registered in India. As explained below, India's Patent Regime is a testament to India's progression on the path of the knowledge economy. India has become a trend-setter in maintaining a very delicate balance to ensure that there is a free flow of information, public interest, progress of science and technology, and availability of useful innovations.Patent Filings in India Throughout the Years: A (Hi)story of Innovation PotentialPatent filings represent one of the indicators to map IN MY OPINIONTime to `Walk the Talk': Establishing an Effective Intellectual Property Right Regime To Promote A Culture of InnovationBy Dr. Sheetal Chopra, India Lead - IPR Advocacy, EricssonEricsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society - a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.Our services, software and infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud - are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.A
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