385 Indian applications for trademark registration in FY16

MUMBAI: The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) received only 385 applications from the Indian entrepreneurs aspiring to have their trademarks registered globally during the year 2015-16.
On the other hand, 24,000 international registrations sought protection of trademarks in India in this period.

WIPO is the global forum for intellectual property services, policy, information and co-operation.

"Out of these 24,000 international registrations, 11,778 have already been notified in the fiscal 2015-16," controller general of patents, designs and trademarks O P Gupta told PTI, speaking on the sidelines of a Make in India event organised by the World Trade Centre and All India Association of Industries (AIAI) here.

"Unfortunately, we have received merely 385 applications from Indian entrepreneurs so far and out of which, 265 applications have already been processed by WIPO," he said.

But the situation is quite different when it comes to applications for trademarks within the country.

"We have received around 2,85,000 applications for trademarks from Indian entrepreneurs in 2015-16, from 2,00,000 in 2014-15, a 43 per cent increase," he said.

"During the current fiscal, we have received around 25,000 applications from Indian entities so far," he said.

The domestic industry is still not taking advantage of convention and treaties to which India is party, and which provide facilitation of registration of trademarks outside the country, he said, adding "this is why we are holding seminars on the subject so as to create awareness."