DPIIT India which is also responsible for formulation and implementation of IPR policies has recently published its annual report for the year 2019/2020. Chapter 5 of the annual report provides description of recent activities of the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CGPDTM) carried out in 2019/2020 including:

• implementation of new amendments in Patent Rules

• number of patents granted under the expedited examination procedure

• number of applications received by CGPDTM in the capacity of ISA and IPEA 

Govt., in exercise of the powers conferred upon it under Section 159 of the Patents Act, 1970 has passed the Patents (Amendment) Rules of 2020 (“The Rules”) on October 19, 2020. The Rules modify Form 27 of the Act through which statements regarding the working of patented invention on a commercial scale in India have to be filed by Patentees or Licensees. According to the amendment to Rule 131(2), the statement regarding the workings of the Patent have to be filed once in every financial year, within six months from the expiry of such financial year, due to which the due date for filing the same would be September 31st of every financial year.

India and the US have inked a Memorandum of Understanding to co-operate on intellectual property examination and protection for the next 10 years and to strengthen the IP systems in both countries. The MoU was signed between the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), represented by Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Andrei Iancu, and Secretary from India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The memorandum will strengthen the intellectual property (IP) systems of both countries, enabling further innovation and growth.