India has secured a spot in the global top 10 for all three major intellectual property (IP) rights—patents, trademarks, and industrial designs, according to the World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) 2024 published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), underscoring global trends in intellectual property (IP) filings.
India continues to solidify its place as a global leader in the intellectual property (IP) landscape by showing substantial progress and marking new milestones in IP activity and has recorded the fastest growth in patent (+15.7 per cent) applications in 2023 among the top 20 origins, marking the fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth.
The country ranks sixth globally for patents with 64,480 applications, with resident filings accounting for over half of all submissions (55.2 per cent)—a first for the country.
The country ranks sixth globally for patents with 64,480 applications, with resident filings accounting for over half of all submissions (55.2 per cent)—a first for the country. The patent office also granted 149.4 per cent more patents in 2023 compared to the previous year, underlining the country’s fast-evolving IP ecosystem.
The report indicates a steady rise (36.4 per cent) in India’s industrial design applications, which aligns with increasing emphasis on product design, manufacturing, and creative industries within India. The top three sectors—Textiles and Accessories, Tools and Machines, and Health and Cosmetics—made up almost half of all design filings,
Between 2018 and 2023, patent and industrial design applications more than doubled, while trademark filings increased by 60 per cent, reflecting the country’s growing emphasis on IP and innovation. India’s patent-to-GDP ratio also saw significant growth, rising from 144 to 381 in the past decade, indicating that IP activity is scaling alongside economic expansion.
Key findings show a record of 3.55 million patent applications filed worldwide in 2023, up 2.7 per cent from 2022 with notable contributions from leading economies in Asia. This increase was largely driven by residents in China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and India.
India ranked fourth globally in trademark filings, with a 6.1 per cent increase in 2023. Nearly 90 per cent of these filings were by residents, with key sectors including Health (21.9 per cent), Agriculture (15.3 per cent), and Clothing (12.8 per cent) leading the way. India’s trademark office holds the second-largest number of active registrations worldwide, with over 3.2 million trademarks in force, reflecting the country’s strong position in global brand protection.
The report highlights continued growth in global intellectual property (IP) filings, reflecting innovation resilience despite economic challenges. Key findings show a record of 3.55 million patent applications filed worldwide in 2023, up 2.7 per cent from 2022 with notable contributions from leading economies in Asia. This increase was largely driven by residents in China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and India. This growth trend, especially in resident filings, emphasises a shift towards local innovation, with many countries aiming to strengthen their domestic IP landscapes.
Link to the complete report: https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo-pub-941-2024-en-world-intellectual-property-indicators-2024.pdf