India: Patent

India has emerged as one of the world’s leading destinations for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), with multinational corporations increasingly establishing captive centres to manage global operations, technology development, research and development, finance, legal support, data analytics and business process management functions.

Intellectual property has become central to India's M&A and fundraising landscape, yet IP due diligence remains inconsistently practiced across sectors. This comprehensive analysis examines India's IP due diligence framework through landmark transactions including Walmart-Flipkart, Sun Pharma-Ranbaxy, and Zomato-Blinkit, revealing how rigorous IP assessment has evolved from peripheral formality to decisive deal determinant in technology, pharmaceutical, and media acquisitions.

The Delhi High Court has delivered a significant ruling that is likely to influence patent prosecution strategy, patent portfolio management, and deadline compliance practices for patent applicants seeking protection in India.

Imagine a scenario where - it is the last over of a thrilling IPL match at the jam-packed Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The stadium is alive with a diverse set of people cheering, phones held aloft to record and capture everything, and millions watching it around the world.

In a significant ruling concerning the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 the Delhi High Court has dismissed the Embassy of Peru’s appeal (In the Matter of Embassy of Peru v. Union of India and Ors 2026:DHC:2259-DB) seeking an exclusive Geographical Indication (GI), “GI PISCO”, over the alcoholic beverage known as Pisco, holding that both Peru and Chile possess legitimate and long-standing claims to the name.

When you’re building green tech and need people to buy into your sustainability story, you need proof. Real or not for just marketing hype. Now, proof recorded to prove reality. Enter green patents. They're also a scoreboard for your environmental innovation – and a signal to investors, customers and regulators that you're serious about change. This shows how innovative companies are leveraging their patent portfolios to build on their ESG stories and show impact in practice.

Indian patent law requires annual Working Reports declaring whether patents are commercially exploited on Indian territory. This obligation applies to all patent holders and licensees with active patents in India, even when inventions remain unexploited, and carries significant compliance and strategic implications for intellectual property rights management.

The Calcutta High Court has ruled that Graphic User Interfaces (GUIs) qualify as protectable designs under India's Designs Act, 2000, rejecting the Controller's narrow interpretation that excluded digital interfaces from registration. The landmark decision establishes that GUIs reflect creative aesthetic choices in visual elements like icons, menus, and color palettes that can be judged by the eye, and clarifies that the term 'article' requires broad interpretation...

The High Court of Delhi recently delivered a significant judgment in the matter of Mold-Tek Packaging Limited v. Neway Industries Pvt. Ltd. The case revolves around two key patents held by Mold-Tek regarding container closure systems: IN 401417 (for a “Tamper-Evident Leak Proof Pail Closure System”) and IN 298724 (for a “Tamper Proof Lid Having Spout for Containers and Process for Its Manufacture”).