Shri Piyush Goyal Calls for Collective Efforts to Foster Innovation Culture; Highlights 50,000 New Innovation Labs in Schools

India Registers 215% Growth in Patent Filings in a Decade; GII Ranking Improves from 81 to 38: Shri Piyush Goyal

Government Recruiting Personnel to Accelerate IP Approvals; Shri Goyal Stresses Transparency and Integrity

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal today called for making India’s Intellectual Property (IP) approval system among the top five in the world in terms of speed, transparency and efficiency, while emphasising the need to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem and encourage wider participation from innovators, startups, MSMEs, women and youth.

Addressing the National IP Awards & IP Conference in New Delhi today, Shri Goyal said that faster and more efficient disposal of applications related to trademarks, patents, copyrights, designs and Geographical Indications (GI) would help promote a strong culture of innovation and enable innovators to bring their ideas to market more quickly.

Congratulating the award winners for their outstanding achievements, the Minister said the awards recognise the valuable contributions of scientists, innovators, technocrats, MSMEs, entrepreneurs, agricultural institutes and IITs who are playing a key role in shaping India’s innovation-driven growth. He said the awardees represent the spirit of New India—an India that embraces technology and seeks to remain at the cutting edge of global innovation.

Shri Goyal said that recognising such achievements sends a powerful message to the wider IP ecosystem to take up similar challenges and develop path-breaking ideas. He expressed confidence that the awards will encourage the winners to achieve even greater success in the future while inspiring others to aspire for similar recognition.

The Minister stressed the importance of nurturing curiosity, inquisitiveness and the spirit of inquiry among children from a young age. Encouraging young minds to explore new ideas and think beyond conventional boundaries, he said, is essential for building a culture of innovation.

Referring to the government’s initiative to establish 50,000 new innovation labs in schools, announced in the Union Budget, Shri Goyal said these initiatives are aimed at fostering creativity, experimentation and problem-solving among students.

He urged professionals, innovators and industry stakeholders to contribute to this effort by engaging with their schools and colleges as alumni, interacting with students through webinars or video conferences, and encouraging them to understand the value of innovation, entrepreneurship and problem-solving.

Referring to the recently celebrated International Women’s Day, the Minister highlighted the importance of integrating women more deeply into the innovation and IP ecosystem. He said that more women are entering the research field with science and technology as their focal areas, and emphasised that the participation of youth and women is critical in ensuring technological advancement and improving quality of life for citizens.

The Minister said India’s talent pool, strong skill base and large number of STEM graduates produced every year will significantly contribute to making the country’s innovation and intellectual property ecosystem among the best in the world.

Shri Goyal appreciated the efforts of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) for relentlessly working to bring global best practices to India’s IP ecosystem and aligning it with international standards, including learnings from developed economies and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He noted that the office began its journey with several challenges including shortage of staff, outdated technology and a large backlog of applications, but significant efforts have been made to clear much of the backlog.

He said that while certain challenges still remain in some areas, the government is recruiting new talent, strengthening capacity and enhancing skills to deal with pending cases and improve efficiency.

Highlighting some of the award-winning institutions, Shri Goyal praised IIT Madras for its path-breaking work and its startup incubation hub, which he described as truly phenomenal. Recalling his visit to the facility, he said the incubation ecosystem created there could serve as a model for upgrading other incubation centres across the country, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and remote regions including areas such as Sikkim and northern parts of India.

The Minister also noted the growing role of women in licensing of new designs and encouraged innovators to register new designs and traditional products under the Geographical Indications (GI) registry. Given India’s vast diversity and rich heritage, he said there is significant potential to increase GI registrations across the country.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shri Goyal said that the rise in patent applications in India reflects the growing innovative zeal of the country’s youth, which is a very positive sign for the future. He said this growing enthusiasm among innovators is sending a strong message globally that India is emerging as a major centre of innovation and technology development.

Highlighting India’s progress in innovation indicators, Shri Goyal noted that the country has improved its position in the Global Innovation Index (GII) from 81st in 2015 to 38th currently. He also pointed out that patent filings in India have grown by nearly 215 percent in the last decade, with India’s global ranking improving from 14th to 6th.

Shri Goyal emphasised that innovation opportunities exist in everyday life and that identifying and solving such challenges requires an open mind and creative thinking.

Recalling the evolution of the national slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, later expanded by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with “Jai Vigyan”, the Minister noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi further added “Jai Anusandhan”, highlighting the central role of innovation and research in India’s development journey.

He said India enjoys several demographic advantages including a young population with an average age of under 30 years, a balanced gender ratio and increasing participation of women in the formal workforce across sectors.

Highlighting the remarkable rise in women-led innovation, Shri Goyal said patent filings by women have increased by 345 times over the past 12 years, demonstrating a transformational change in the innovation landscape.

The Minister said India is witnessing an IP revolution with tremendous opportunities for innovators. Echoing the Prime Minister’s vision, he emphasised that the path forward lies in “Innovate, Patent, Produce and Prosper.”

Reiterating the government’s commitment to supporting startups, women entrepreneurs and micro and small enterprises, Shri Goyal said the government has already reduced IP-related fees by about 50 to 80 percent. He suggested that an 80 percent fee reduction be extended for women entrepreneurs, startup innovators and micro and small enterprises for filings in order to make the system more affordable and accessible.

He also proposed exploring fast-track mechanisms to support these applicants and encourage greater participation in the IP ecosystem.

Speaking about India’s global economic engagement, Shri Goyal said the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) does not mean closing doors to the world but strengthening international partnerships.

He noted that India has signed nine Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in the last three and a half years, covering 38 prosperous and largely developed countries, giving India preferential market access to nearly two-thirds of global trade.

He urged innovators and entrepreneurs to take advantage of these opportunities by developing new products, services and export markets.

Shri Goyal assured stakeholders that the government is recruiting a large number of personnel to accelerate IP approvals and reiterated his goal of making India’s IP system among the top five globally in terms of clearance speed.

He emphasised that the system must remain transparent, fair and efficient, and encouraged stakeholders to raise concerns directly with the Chief Controller or the concerned department if they face any difficulties. He also urged citizens to report any irregular practices in government processes, assuring that the government is committed to maintaining high integrity and seamless interaction between innovators and government institutions.

Shri Goyal concluded with expressing confidence that the collective efforts of innovators, institutions and the government will help transform ideas into impactful creations and accelerate India’s journey towards becoming a developed and prosperous nation.