US continues to keep India on intellectual property priority watch list

NEW DELHI: India continues to figure in the US’ Priority Watch List that identifies trade barriers to US companies due to intellectual property laws of other countries.

“India also remains on the Priority Watch List this year for lack of sufficient measurable improvements to its IPR framework despite more robust engagement and positive steps forward on IPR protection and enforcement undertaken by the government of India,” said the Office of the USTR, an agency of the US government, in its annual Special 301 report Wednesday.

India, along with China and ten others figure on the list with Switzerland being the latest entrant.

Even though the USTR has refrained from imposing an out-of-cycle review (OCR) of India's IPR laws, it retains the option of conducting an OCR of India should developments—either positive or negative—weigh in favor of a review in advance of the annual cycle.

“These countries will be the subject of particularly intense bilateral engagement during the coming year,” said an official statement from the USTR.