About 2.5 lakh patent applications pending: Nirmala Sitharaman

NEW DELHI: About 2.5 lakh patent applications are pending at various stages of disposal and the government is taking various measures to clear these requests, Parliament was informed today.

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said that as on March 1, 2017, 7,53,471 trademark applications are pending at various stages of disposal.

Out of these applications, 45,043 are pending at the examination stage.

"As on March 1 this year, 2,47,824 patent applications are pending at various stages of disposal, out of which 2,06,836 are pending at the examination stage," she said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The government has taken various measures to clear the pending applications and those steps include hiring manpower and organising IP awareness and training programmes.

"Recruitment has been completed for 459 posts of examiners of Patents and Designs, of which 396 new appointees have started examination work after undergoing training, in addition to the existing 130 examiners," she added.

Replying to a separate question, the minister said India is negotiating a broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) with the European Union (EU) and Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

"India is committed to a pragmatic and balanced outcome of both the negotiations," she said, adding India is awaiting the response of the EU side to resume the BTIA negotiations.

"15 rounds on TEPA have been held. It is expected that greater trade and investment flows will result from these agreements in many sectors, including textiles," she added.