India ranks high in IP protection
By siliconindia   |   Wednesday, 07 March 2007, 18:30 IST
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Hyderabad: A recent study by Ernst & Young and Indian Semiconductor Association (ISA) report rated India highly in terms of Intellectual Property (IP) protection. While India is ranked higher than China and the Czech Republic it still lags behind countries like the U.S, the U.K, Canada and Taiwan. The report on the semiconductor sector competitiveness studied the transformation of the IP scenario over the last three decades and noted the IP regime in the country to be far weaker than desired. Though high in IP protection, the report showed that barring Czech Republic, India has the least number of U.S patent applications. The report quoting data between 2001-2005 states that the US had filed for 5,96,447 applications for patents and of this 2,34,725 have been granted; the UK follows suit with 15,942 filing and 4,501 grants respectively. Canada has 12,529 applications and 3,559 grants, whereas India is way below China and Taiwan with 2,145 applications and 621 being granted patents. This is due to the very fact that design companies in India, being captive arms of multinational companies and third party service providers, handle some portions of projects rather than execute the entire IP or product development projects on turnkey basis. The reports also found that a few small companies creating IP but not filing for a US patent owing to the cost involvement. The companies are now realizing the importance of patenting and creating awareness evolving awareness and creating culture of innovation. These patents mainly cover semiconductor devices, basic electronics, printed circuits, electrical communications and information storage. The US tops with some 724-semiconductor design companies, followed by Taiwan with 268 and the UK with about 200 companies.

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