Derwent World Patents Index® (DWPI®) now includes Indian patent data, of both pre-grant applications and granted patents.

The inclusion of Indian patents in DWPI follows the culmination of the government’s long process of amending India’s national patent laws to ensure they conform to Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) norms.

“Since India has now become a major player in the IP arena, we recognized the importance of giving our users comprehensive and quick access to Indian patents.”
Brian Tyler, executive vice president of corporate markets, Thomson Scientific

This addition is significant for DWPI because it is expected that Indian patent activity will increase dramatically, particularly in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and information technology. In the past, India only permitted patents for processes and not products. With new amendments to the Patent Act, it is now possible to obtain product patents in pharmaceuticals and agro chemicals, telecoms, and software industries. Total R&D expenditure in India has also considerably increased, leading to new drug development projects and the creation of facilities essential for the development of new drugs.

Indian patent coverage in DWPI starts with data published December 4, 2004, so users will have access to all Indian patent documents issued since the new law took effect. Ongoing, Indian patent data will be available within two weeks from publication in DWPI First View^SM and within 4-6 weeks in DWPI.