-Down to Earth Apex trade regulator finds nothing amiss in India's intellectual property laws after exhaustive review India's intellectual property rights (IPR) regime, under constant attack from the US and multinational companies (MNCs) over the past few years, has been given a clean bill of health by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). At a two-day trade policy review conducted by the apex organisation in early June, there was no criticism of a...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury today wrote to the chief election commissioner, protesting against what he called the poll panel's drive to link Aadhaar numbers with electoral cards and voicing fears that the data collected could be misused. In his letter, Yechury said the commission had "clarified" through a press communiqué that Aadhaar card details were "voluntary and not a compulsory requirement for being enrolled on the voters...

-The Hindu India’s IPR regime, never in the background, has come under sharp focus recently for a variety of reasons. It is ten years since India amended the Indian patents Act, 1970 to bring its laws in line with the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The most important of those amendments related to the introduction of product patents for 20 years, including for pharmaceutical products. Significant safeguards were...

-The Indian Express Government has been speaking in two tongues on intellectual property. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his desire to see India adhere to “global” IP standards. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) was quick to latch on to this, noting in its latest Special 301 report: “The United States also welcomes April 2015 statements made by Prime Minister Modi recommending that India align its patent laws with international...

-Economic and Political Weekly Ten years on, the progressive provisions of the amended Indian patents Act are being watered down. Ten years have passed since the Indian patents Act, 1970 was amended in 2005 to bring the country’s laws in line with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The most important of the 2005 amendments was the introduction of product patents for 20 years, including for pharmaceutical products,...