India’s Policy Shift towards Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Self-Reliance: Implications for India’s Intellectual Property Policy

Abstract

Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) are becoming key assets for competitiveness and addressing developmental
challenges. It thus becomes imperative for a country to strategically protect its IPRs and create roadmaps for the
development of this institution. The Indian government in recent years has taken a salutary paradigm shift by bringing
innovation and entrepreneurship at the center stage of its economic development and addressing developmental challenges.
The National Intellectual Property Rights Policythat came out in 2016 (NIPR2016) can be seen as part of thisinnovationdriven inclusive growth approach. India becoming one of the most aggressive globally in creating new start-ups is among
some of the visible outcomes of the policy shift. The IPR policy becomes more important in this new context. The paper
revisits the NIPR2016 to see to what extent it is an enabler forresearch, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the country. The
pathways that it underscores for strengthening the IPR institution in the country, positions undertaken on contentious issues,
and the long-term vision that it draws are examined.What types of further interventions/pathways may be required that can
enrich the IPR ecosystem and create positive externality in the economy and society are discussed. The study proposes the
need for framing a new IPR policy in the context of the fast-changinginnovation dynamics and the increasing role of IPR in
this evolving landscape.