FROM SCALE TO SUBSTANCE: INDIA'S IP TRANSFORMATION SIGNALS ECONOMIC COMING OF AGE

 When India surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy in 2025, crossing the $4.18 trillion threshold, it marked more than a statistical milestone. What makes this achievement significant is the transformation occurring beneath the surface, reflected most vividly in the nation's intellectual property landscape. For the first time in its post-independence history, India is not merely growing larger; it is growing smarter.

The convergence is striking. As GDP doubled from $2 trillion in 2014 to over $4 trillion today, India's patent-to-GDP ratio surged from 144 to 381. This signals a fundamental shift in how India creates value: indigenous innovation is now driving economic expansion, rather than simply following it.

The Numbers Tell a Different Story Now

India filed over 63,000 patent applications in 2024, securing its position as the world's sixth-largest filer. But composition matters more than count. Domestic filings now account for 61 percent of all applications, a historic reversal from 2013 when Indian residents filed barely a quarter. The 180 percent surge over five years represents the fastest patent growth among top-20 economies, with three consecutive years of double-digit expansion.

This is economic maturation in action. Innovation spreading beyond metros, with 45 percent of startups emerging from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Sectors like automotive, electronics, AI, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy driving both patent filings and GDP growth. The design sector witnessed 41.52 percent growth in 2024-25, while trademark filings exceeded 550,000, making India's office the second-largest repository worldwide with over 3.2 million active registrations.

When Courts Start Meaning It

Yet patents filed mean little without enforcement mechanisms that give them teeth. Here lies perhaps the most consequential transformation. In 2024 alone, Indian courts awarded over ₹460 crores approximately $55 million in just two major patent cases. The highest single award reached ₹244 crores in a telecommunications dispute, followed by ₹217 crores for antenna technology infringement. Five years ago, such awards would have been inconceivable.

The Delhi High Court Intellectual Property Rights Division Rules 2022 changed litigation economics fundamentally. Courts now systematically consider lost profits, infringer gains, reasonable licensing fees, infringement duration, intent, and mitigation steps. This structured approach has transformed India into a serious patent enforcement venue rivaling European and United States standards.

Policy Architecture Supporting Growth

Government initiatives created the infrastructure enabling this surge. Make in India, Startup India, and Digital India forged a virtuous cycle where economic growth fuels innovation, which drives further expansion. The Startup Intellectual Property Protection scheme offers pro bono facilitation, while fee reductions reach 80 percent for startups, MSMEs, and educational institutions. Patent Office manpower nearly tripled, rising from 431 in 2014 to 1,433 in 2024.

IP Reforms 3.0 promises integration of advanced technologies AI, NFTs, blockchain—into intellectual property management. Digital filing now accounts for 95 percent of applications, streamlining processes that once deterred smaller innovators. The system is becoming genuinely accessible, not merely theoretically available.

What This Means for India's Trajectory

The significance extends beyond statistics. Patents in force rose from 76,556 in 2019 to 228,402 in 2024, six consecutive years of double-digit growth. Geographical Indications saw extraordinary 380 percent increases over five years, protecting cultural heritage while creating commercial value from traditional knowledge. Women inventors raised their share from 10.2 to 11.6 percent, contributing to more diverse innovation ecosystems.

India's 8.2 percent real GDP growth in the second quarter of fiscal 2025-26 makes it the fastest-growing major economy. Government projections indicate overtaking Germany by 2030, with GDP reaching $7.3 trillion. But achieving developed nation status by 2047 requires more than scale. It demands indigenous innovation capability that strong intellectual property systems both reflect and enable.

The Challenge of Sustaining Momentum

The transformation is real but incomplete. International forecasters project sustained growth above 6 percent through 2026, but maintaining this requires continuous innovation across sectors. Whether India can sustain this trajectory while navigating global economic uncertainties, technological disruptions, and domestic implementation challenges will determine if current momentum translates into lasting transformation.

For multinationals, India has matured into a predictable patent enforcement venue within the world's fourth-largest economy. For Indian companies and startups, the strengthened ecosystem provides confidence to invest in research knowing that patent rights receive serious judicial protection. The infrastructure is in place. The question now is execution at scale.

As India advances toward becoming a five-trillion-dollar economy and beyond, intellectual property stands as both enabler and evidence of economic maturation. The nation is evolving from innovation consumer to producer, fostering breakthroughs that position it as a leader shaping the global innovation economy. With economic heft and innovation prowess now aligned, India's next chapter depends on whether this convergence proves sustainable or fleeting.

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PARLIAMENT AS A TRADEMARK (Q:PROHIBITED ??)

The Delhi High Court dealt with appeals transferred from the abolished IPAB challenging refusal of trademark applications for “PARLIAMENT” marks. The Registrar had rejected the marks under Sections 9(1)(a) and 9(2)(d) of the Trade Marks Act, citing the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. The appellant argued that “PARLIAMENT” is a common noun used globally and not identical to “Indian Parliament” or its pictorial representation. Entry 17 of the Schedule of the Emblems and Names Act shows that the aforesaid prohibition is in respect of 'name of the Parliament or the Legislature of any State'. The prohibition is not in respect of the words 'PARLIAMENT' or 'LEGISLATURE' in itself. The word 'PARLIAMENT' is not unique to India as various other countries across the world such as Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates use the word 'PARLIAMENT' to refer to their legislative organs. appellant is not seeking to use and register the mark 'INDIAN PARLIAMENT' or 'PARLIAMENT OF INDIA' or even a pictorial representation of the Indian Parliament as a part of the subject marks. the mark 'PARLIAMENT'/ PARLIAMENT-formative marks are not prohibited under the provisions of the Emblems and Names Act and, consequently, do not contradict  Section 9(2)(d) of the Act. Accordingly, the present appeals are allowed and the impugned orders are set aside. The Court held that the Act prohibits only specific names like “Parliament of India,” not the generic word “PARLIAMENT.” Consequently, the refusals were set aside and the appeals allowed.

Case Title: Capital Ventures Pvt Ltd vs Registrar Of Trademarks on 29 April, 2025, Delhi High Court. (TM no 2736355 TM No 2511784)

 

Emblems and Names Act, 1950

The Act was enacted to prevent the improper use of certain names and emblems for commercial and professional purposes. It prohibits any person from using, without prior permission of the Central Government, specified names or emblems in connection with trade, business, calling, profession, patents, trademarks, or designs. The prohibited list, given in the Schedule, includes names and emblems of national importance such as the Parliament, Supreme Court, High Courts, United Nations, Gandhi, Nehru, Shivaji, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Ashoka Chakra, Dharma Chakra, Interpol, and buildings of important government institutions. Registrars of companies, trademarks, and designs must refuse registration of any name, trademark, or design violating the Act. The objective is to safeguard national institutions, symbols, and respected personalities from commercial exploitation or misuse. 

PATENT RIGHTS STRENGTHENED: DONG YANG WINS KEY APPEAL ON SIMPLE BUT NOVEL INVENTION "simple invention is patentable if it is novel, non-obvious, and addresses a technical problem with ingenuity."

 

In Dong Yang PC, Inc. v. Controller of Patents and Designs [C.A. (COMM.IPD-PAT) 60/2024], the Delhi High Court, led by Justice Mini Pushkarna, emphasized that even a simple invention is patentable if it is novel, non-obvious, and addresses a technical problem with ingenuity.

The case concerned a Vertical Rotary Parking System designed to reduce noise through smoother motion, less friction, and fewer contact points. The Controller had rejected the patent application, stating it lacked inventive step and offered no technical advancement over prior art. The invention was dismissed as a mere workshop modification involving the reversal of male and female portions in the pull gear and suspension chain.

However, the Court disagreed, stating the Controller had not demonstrated how the invention lacked technical advancement or why it would be obvious to a person skilled in the art. Citing the Avery Dennison judgment, the Court highlighted that a key test for inventiveness is the time gap between prior art and the new invention. Here, despite the prior art being from the appellant, the absence of similar third-party innovations over time indicated non-obviousness.

The Court found that labeling the improvements as “mechanical” did not meet the legal threshold and the Controller’s reference to “common general knowledge” was vague and unsupported. It emphasized that simplicity is not a bar to patentability and that even minor changes can lead to a new invention if they solve a technical problem with ingenuity.

Finding the Controller’s order lacking proper analysis and justification, the Court held it unsustainable and directed the patent application to be re-examined.

TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT: Trademark Victory for Veerji Malai Chaap Wale: Delhi HC Penalizes Imitator Food Joints

In a trademark infringement case, the Delhi High Court awarded ₹5 lakh in damages to the popular food chain Veerji Malai Chaap Wale. Justice Amit Bansal passed the order against five eateries that failed to appear in court, resulting in an ex parte decree and imposition of exemplary damages. The defendants, located in Delhi, Raipur, Uttar Pradesh, and Haridwar, were found using deceptively similar names such as VEER JI MALAI CHAAP WALE and VEERE DI MALAI CHAAP & KATHI KABAB, and were listed on platforms like Zomato and Swiggy. Each was ordered to pay ₹1 lakh. The Court held that the use of these names was a dishonest attempt to exploit the goodwill of Veerji Restaurant, misleading consumers and benefiting unfairly from its reputation. As the defendants filed no written statement, the Court accepted the plaintiff’s allegations as admitted and issued a decree accordingly.

HIGH COURT OF DELHI, CS(COMM)862/2023 with I.A. 24140/2023 and I.A. 11635/2025

PATENT

 

Tesla, Inc files new Trademark application for "TESLA ROBOTAXI" after setbacks with generic terms

 TESLA ROBOTAXI

Tesla is renewing its efforts to secure a trademark for its autonomous vehicle service by filing a new application for the term "Tesla Robotaxi." This move comes after previous attempts to trademark more generic names like "Robotaxi" and "Cybercab" were hindered by regulatory challenges.

Last month, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) informed the company that its application for "Robotaxi" lacked sufficient specificity, noting that the term is widely used by other companies in the industry.

The latest trademark application for "Tesla Robotaxi" was filed on May 30, 2025, under US Serial Number: 99211111, with Tesla, Inc., a Texas-based corporation, listed as the owner.

Trademark Infringement: Even Brief Consumer Confusion is Enough, Rules Delhi High Court

In a significant ruling on trademark law, the Delhi High Court has held that even momentary confusion in the mind of a consumer is sufficient to establish trademark infringement under Indian law. The decision came in the case of Under Armour Inc. v. Anish Agarwal & Anr., where American sportswear company Under Armour, Inc. successfully restrained an Indian clothing brand from using the mark “AERO ARMOUR.”

The ruling, delivered by a division bench on May 23, 2025, pertains to trademark Class 25, which includes clothing, footwear, and headgear. The Court emphasized that the duration of consumer confusion is immaterial; even short-lived or initial confusion can fulfill the criteria for deceptive similarity under Section 29 of the Trade Marks Act 1999.

The confusion, albeit limited to the initial stage, is sufficient to satisfy the condition of deceptive similarity as contemplated under Section 29 of the Trade Marks Act," the bench observed.