An Innovation and Creativity Focus Group exists since 2010: Commerce Ministry
New Delhi, October 3:  
The Commerce Ministry has reiterated that there is no change in India’s stated position on Intellectual Property Rights.
Citing a joint statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President Barack Obama on establishing an annual high-level Intellectual Property (IP) Working Group, the Ministry said an Innovation and Creativity Focus Group already exists in the Trade Policy Forum since 2010.
The Ministry said the group consults each other no less than twice a year on improving intellectual property rights protection and enforcement, enhancing awareness of intellectual property rights, fostering innovation and creativity, and increasing collaboration between American and Indian innovators.
“The joint statement issued now merely reiterates whatever has existed in the earlier Trade Policy Forum. IPR issues are critical for both the countries and India has been repeatedly raising the issue of copy right piracy and misappropriation of traditional knowledge with the US,” the Government said.
The Centre added that India had consistently pointed out that the IPR legal regime in India was fully TRIPS-compliant and that any issues to be discussed have to be discussed in bilateral forums like the Trade Policy Forum.
“The US agreeing to discuss IPR issues through the bilateral mechanism of the Trade Policy forum is in fact a re-affirmation of India’s stand that issues need bilateral discussion and not unilateral action. The statement on the IPR issue will only strengthen the bilateral institutional mechanism,” the Ministry’s statement added.
(This article was published on October 3, 2014)