The WIPO report also highlights the growing trend of local innovation, with a record 3.55 million patent applications filed globally in 2023. This rise was largely driven by filings from countries like China, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and India.
India has cemented its position as a global powerhouse in intellectual property (IP) filings, securing a spot in the top 10 countries for patents, trademarks, and industrial designs, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) 2024 report.
The report highlights India’s remarkable performance in IP activity, showing significant growth in all three major IP categories. India’s patent applications grew by a record 15.7 per cent in 2023, the fastest among the top 20 filing nations. This marks the fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth in patent filings. India now ranks sixth globally, with 64,480 patent applications, more than half of which (55.2 per cent) were filed by domestic inventors, a first for the country. The surge in patent grants is also notable, with India’s patent office granting 149.4 per cent more patents in 2023 compared to the previous year, signalling an increasingly dynamic and robust IP ecosystem.
“The significant rise in patent filings reflects India’s growing focus on innovation and its rapidly expanding knowledge economy,” said the WIPO report. The growth of patent applications aligns with India’s economic expansion, as its patent-to-GDP ratio has more than doubled over the past decade, rising from 144 to 381.
India’s performance in industrial designs is also impressive, with a 36.4 per cent increase in applications last year. This surge is a testament to the thriving manufacturing and creative sectors in the country, particularly in textiles, tools, machines, health, and cosmetics. These sectors accounted for nearly half of all design filings, underscoring the expanding role of design in India’s industrial landscape.
Trend of Local Innovations
In trademarks, India ranks fourth globally, with a 6.1 per cent rise in filings in 2023. Resident applicants accounted for nearly 90 per cent of these filings, reflecting the country’s emphasis on local brand protection. Sectors such as health, agriculture, and clothing led the trademark filings, with the country now holding the second-largest number of active trademark registrations worldwide, exceeding 3.2 million.
The WIPO report also highlights the growing trend of local innovation, with a record 3.55 million patent applications filed globally in 2023. This rise was largely driven by filings from countries like China, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and India. The steady increase in resident filings reflects the effectiveness of government initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s position as a global innovation hub.
India’s continued growth in IP activity signals its emergence as a leading player in the global innovation economy.
