If you’re a PhD student or early-stage researcher in India, understanding intellectual property (IP) has never been more important. India is carving out a significant presence on the global intellectual property (IP) stage, marked by impressive growth in filings and strategic collaborations with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Recent data and key partnerships highlight India’s commitment to fostering an innovation ecosystem that supports creators, businesses, and national development. This article explores India’s rising IP indicators and the multifaceted ways the WIPO partnership with India is working together to shape a more inclusive and dynamic global IP landscape.
India’s Robust IP Landscape: Insights from WIPI 2024
According to the WIPO World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) 2024 report, India has solidified its position among the global leaders in IP activity. The report places India in the top 10 countries for all three major IP rights: patents, trademarks, and industrial designs.
Regarding patent statistics, India ranks sixth globally for patents with 64,480 applications in 2023. Notably, India recorded the fastest growth in patent applications (+15.7%) among the top 20 origins in 2023, marking the fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth. A significant milestone was achieved as resident filings accounted for over half (55.2%) of all patent applications—a clear sign of a maturing domestic innovation ecosystem.
According to the WIPO World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) 2024:
-India is 6th globally in patent filings, with over 64,000 applications in 2023.
-Indian residents contributed 55.2% of these filings—up from previous years.
-Trademark filings grew by 6.1%, while design applications jumped by 36.4%.
India also showed strong performance in other IP categories:
- Trademarks: India ranked 4th globally, with ~6% application growth.
- Industrial Designs: India saw a 36% rise, placing it among the top performers globally.
From 2018 to 2023, India’s total IP filings more than doubled. The country’s patent-to-GDP ratio surged from 144 to 381, reflecting growing innovation in sync with economic development. India also climbed from 81st to 39th in the Global Innovation Index between 2015–2024.
What it means for PhD students:
This signals a fertile ecosystem where your research could potentially be patented, licensed, or turned into a startup with global IP protection.
WIPO’s Role and Global Influence
WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization, is a United Nations specialized agency formed in 1967. It aims to promote and protect IP globally by:
- Administering 26 international IP treaties
- Offering global IP services like PATENTSCOPE, the PCT system, and the Madrid trademark system
- Supporting governments, industries, and academia in IP policy development
- Publishing the World IP Indicators Report and IP-related data for public use
WIPO empowers innovation through capacity building, education, and international cooperation—making it a key partner for nations like India.
WIPO Partnership India: Strategic Pillars
India has become one of WIPO’s strongest partners, collaborating on several fronts:
1. Innovation & Education: AIM–WIPO Partnership
In July 2024, WIPO signed a joint letter of intent with NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to share India’s innovation models globally. This includes:
- Leveraging Atal Tinkering Labs and Incubation Centers as models for other developing nations
- Promoting IP awareness in schools and colleges
- Showcasing India’s entrepreneurship success in the Global South
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and WIPO have partnered to promote IP education across schools, universities, and research hubs.
🔍 For PhD students:
- Access to IP awareness programs, workshops, and online tools.
- Improved IP curriculum in academic institutions.
- Exposure to international standards in patent filing and innovation ethics.
2. IP Analytics: CGPDTM–WIPO Cooperation
In May 2025, WIPO partnered with India’s Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks (CGPDTM) to build a program on IP intelligence:
- Training officials and researchers in patent analytics and tech forecasting
- Enabling better IP decisions and research direction for PhD students
- Improving examiner capacity and speeding up patent processes
The CGPDTM and WIPO have joined forces to:
- Improve IP data analytics for evidence-based R&D decisions.
- Support research policy formation in higher education.
🔍 For PhD students:
- This enables smarter literature reviews and patent landscaping.
- Better alignment of research with global trends = higher citation & impact potential.
3. Industry Support: WIPO–FICCI IP for Business Center
In April 2025, WIPO and FICCI launched an IP center to assist startups and MSMEs:
- Offering IP training, branding support, and licensing strategies
- Providing mentorship and patent advisory services
- Strengthening India’s 100,000+ startup ecosystem with IP guidance
This initiative provides IP advisory services tailored for startups, researchers, and MSMEs.
🔍 For PhD students:
- You can receive help on drafting patent applications, IP commercialization, and licensing.
- Useful if you’re planning to spin off your PhD research into a product or business.
How PhD Students Benefit from WIPO–India Programs
For researchers and students, these partnerships offer:
- Easier patent filing via the PCT system and tools like PATENTSCOPE
- Free online IP courses via WIPO Academy (plus summer schools and workshops)
- Funding and incubation opportunities via AIM-backed labs
- Hands-on IP training through CGPDTM programs and WIPO workshops
- Collaboration with industry via FICCI programs
- International exposure through WIPO committees and forums
- Open access to research tools via global programs like ARDI
New WIPO Treaty: Genetic Resources & Traditional Knowledge
In May 2024, WIPO adopted a new treaty requiring applicants to disclose sources of genetic material and traditional knowledge (GR&TK). India played a leading role in this treaty, which aims to:
- Protect indigenous knowledge
- Ensure transparency in biotech and life science patents
- Promote ethical research using traditional resources
Students working on biodiversity, medicinal plants, or indigenous practices must now cite sources in their patent filings.
Strategies to Help You Leverage the WIPO Partnership
Here are some expert strategies to get the most from WIPO Partnership India initiatives:
- 🎓 Take part in IPR workshops offered by your university or NIPAM (National IPR Awareness Mission).
- 🧠 Use patent databases (WIPO Patentscope, Indian IP Database) during your literature review.
- ✍️ Document your research process for potential IP filings—even unpublished ideas can be protected.
- 🚀 Explore incubation centers at your institution if your research has commercial potential.
- 🤝 Connect with mentors or faculty involved in WIPO programs—they can guide you through filing and commercialization.
The WIPO partnership India is more than a policy buzzword—it’s a gateway for PhD students to turn research into real-world impact. Whether you’re publishing, patenting, or prototyping, these collaborations open new opportunities for visibility, funding, and protection. Start now, and you could be part of the next wave of globally recognized Indian innovations.
FAQs
WIPO promotes and protects intellectual property worldwide, sets IP norms, and offers global IP services.
WIPO provides tools, training, and data to support patent filing, innovation strategy, and IP education in India.
PATENTSCOPE is WIPO’s free global patent database used for prior art search and patent analysis.
Yes. Students can join WIPO courses, use data tools, and apply to incubators aligned with WIPO-AIM initiatives.
It requires citing the source of genetic material and traditional knowledge in patents, helping protect indigenous IP.
