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October 26, 2020
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New rules on priority filing will make patent applicati...

India has recently notified amendments to its patent rules which are likely to speed up, and significantly reduce the cost of, patent filing for applicants claiming priority from international applications. ......
October 14, 2020
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Patent lapsed due to agent error is restored by IPAB

The first administrative encounter in the long road to patent protection is with the Indian Patent Office (the ‘IPO’). Here, the Controller is the key decision-maker in matters of the grant and renewal of patents. Naturally, this decision-making authority, powerful as it is, is also safeguarded through various legal provisions so as to be shielded from abuse. ......
August 10, 2020
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Enablement Requirement (Sufficiency of Disclosure) for ...

Besides the patentability requirements of novelty, inventive step, and being capable of industrial applicability, a patent application must also meet the enablement requirement in order to be granted. A patent application is said to be enabled if the application provides sufficient details that enable a person of ordinary skill in the related field to practice the invention. ......
June 23, 2020
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Fast-Tracked Examination of Patent Applications Filed b...

Recognising that startups can drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment, the Government of India’s ‘Startup India’ Initiative has sought to develop an ecosystem to strengthen such entities. This ecosystem includes policies that reduce regulatory burdens and provide various concessions that make ‘doing business’ easy....
April 23, 2020
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Indian Patent Office opens with limited manpower during...

In view of the order no. 40-3/2020/DM-I(A) of the Ministry of the Home Affairs (MHA), the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademark (CGPDTM), has issued a Public Notice on April 20, 2020. According to the notice, all the officers of the rank of Deputy Controller and the above are required attend the office on all working days with immediate effect. ...
November 13, 2019
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IPO’s focus on drug patents part of a larger positive t...

In a world where science and technology evolve at an exponential pace, it is essential that the institutional systems that support the evolution of these industries also keep up with the pace. But the Indian patenting system has been often criticized over the years for its slow and long drawn out processing time. This processing pace naturally affects the quality and quantity of applications as well, and it is possible that foreign innovators or entities may be losing interest in filing for patents in India for this reason....
April 27, 2019
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The Patentability of Substances Occurring in Nature

Patents are granted for inventions that are new, include an inventive step and are capable of industrial application. An element of human contribution and “inventiveness” are required for patentability. The body of scientific knowledge received by any generation is a combination of invention and discovery, but there is a fine line between the two, and the distinction is not always clear. In this note, we examine the patentability of discoveries in Europe, the United States, and India to understand this distinction in the context of “naturally occurring substances”. ...
April 5, 2019
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Patenting Antibodies in India

Over the years, a large number of patents have been granted for antibodies all over the world. The world is also seeing a shift towards biologic based drugs. Most of the top-selling drugs in 2018 were monoclonal antibodies with HUMIRA® leading the list. With the progress in the art and growing case law in this area, the criteria for patentability of antibodies are becoming increasingly strict, with restrictions on the scope of the claims. ...
August 22, 2018
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A blockchain of a proposal: Is the IPO changing?

Sumathi Chandrashekaran of Obhan & Associates looks into the possible implications of a recent tender regarding blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning, issued by the IPO. The changes that would come about as a result of these implementations would dramatically improve user experience of the IPO services. Here’s a closer look at what the impact would be at each stage of application and grant....

Data Clean Rooms: The Future of Privacy-Compliant Data Collaboration

As organisations grapple with increasingly stringent privacy and data protection laws, the concept of the Data Clean Room (“DCR“) has emerged as a transformative solution that enables collaboration without compromising compliance.

The power of transition phrases in Indian patent drafting: the ‘Frimline’ Ruli...

Transition phrases are crucial in patent drafting for they define the scope of a claim. Choosing the correct phrase can impact what rights an applicant can enforce, as determined by the Delhi High Court recently, in Frimline v. K-Smatco

Representations, Warranties and Covenants: What are the consequences of breach?

Representations, Warranties and Covenants clauses are included in all commercial contracts. Traditionally, the nomenclature has not been clearly delineated, and representation and warranties are grouped together in a manner that often led them to be viewed as synonymous terms.

Pharmacyclics Continues the Divisional Applications Debate in India

In 2024, the Indian Patent Office (“IPO”) issued the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024 (“Rules”), which, among other things, amended the rules relating to filing of divisional applications.

An Analysis of the Reserve Bank of India’s Master Direction on Regulation of Payment...

On September 15, 2025, the Reserve Bank of India ("RBI") issued the Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregators, 2025 ("Master Direction"), a framework governing both bank and non-bank entities engaged in the business of payment aggregation ("Payment Aggregators" or "PA").

Removal of fetters on the Arbitration process: Arbitration is not foreclosed due to pendin...

The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 was enacted to facilitate expeditious and affordable resolution of disputes pertaining to in-personam rights arising out of contractual disputes between private parties.

Timing it Right: Delhi High Court on Pre-Grant Oppositions in India

What happens when a pre-grant opposition is filed after the Controller signs a patent application to grant? This knotty question was answered by the Delhi High Court in a recent case.

Navigating Share Transfer Restrictions in Shareholders’ Agreements Part 2

In our previous Article, we explored the foundational aspects of share transfer restrictions in shareholder agreements ("SHAs"), with a focus on concepts such as tag-along rights, drag-along rights, permitted and automatic transfers, amongst others and the interplay with the Companies Act, 2013 (the "Act").

Collection of Children’s Data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act: Not Ch...

The protection of children's personal data has and continues to present regulatory and practical challenges for lawmakers, businesses, organisations, institutions and establishments that deal with personal data ("Data Fiduciary").

When “Ok” Becomes “Not Ok”: A cautionary tale of miscommunication from the Indian Patent O...

An important step during patent prosecution in India is the hearing. As the Indian Patent Office (IPO) tends to issue only a single examination report, hearings before the Controller are common.