New Delhi, April 29 (PTI) The US once again placed India on its ‘priority watch list’ on Tuesday, stating that New Delhi remains one of the world’s most challenging major economies for conservation and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR).
US Trade Representative (USTR) 2025 Special 301 reports, annual reviews of the global state of IPR protection and enforcement, said that in the last one year, India has been inconsistent in its progress on intellectual property conservation and enforcement.
It states that although India has worked to strengthen its IP rule, including raising public awareness about the importance of the subject, and has increased engagement with the US on IP issues, many long -standing IP concerns lack progress.
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“India is one of the most challenging major economies in the world regarding the security and enforcement of IP … India remains in the priority clock list in 2025,” said this.
The country had earlier said that this report is a unilateral measure taken by the US under its Trade Act, 1974, which puts pressure on countries to increase IPR security beyond the Trips Agreement. In addition, India has said that its IPR regime fully complies with global trade norms.
The report came under the backdrop of Indo-US, which is negotiating a bilateral trade agreement to increase two-way commerce by 2030 to USD 500 billion. The United States is completing its trade deficit with India, which was USD in 2024–25 through this agreement.
A business expert said that India has a well -established legislative, administrative and judicial structure to protect the IPR that fulfills its obligations under the WTO agreement on IPR (TRIP) related to business.
The concerns identified in the report are based on the input provided by the American industry, on their perception of the level of security provided by India for intellectual property.
The report also states that patent issues in India are a matter of special concern.
“Amidst other concerns, potential threats of patent rebirth and procedural and discretionary call of patentability criteria under Indian patent acts companies. In addition, patent applicants usually continue to wait for a long time to receive patent grants and excessive reporting requirements,” the report says.
The stakeholders continue to express concerns over ambiguity in the interpretation of the Indian Patent Act, it is alleged.
It states that India maintains IP-intensive products such as information and communication technology products, solar power equipment, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and high customs duty duties.
“While steps are to be praised for improving IP office operations and processes, India’s overall IP enforcement is insufficient,” said this.
It states that the US intends to continue to join India on IP matters, including the intellectual property work group of the Trade Policy Forum.
The report listed eight countries, including India in its ‘priority watch list’. China, Indonesia, Russia, Argentina and others are in Venezuela list.
It has also placed 25 countries including Pakistan and Türkiye.
American Trade Representative (USTR) Jaimison Greer said that USA business partners should address the concerns identified in the report and stop the hard -working businesses and the intellectual property of individuals.
This annual report gives details of the findings of the USTR of more than 100 business partners after research and engagement with stakeholders.
Other issues that have been marked in the report include the provision of Section 3 (D) of the Patent Act and concerns over the provision of drug patent disputes. PTI RR TRB
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