By Lucy Rana and Shilpi Saurav Sharan
The World Intellectual Property Indicators for 2025 has been recently published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)[1]. The Report is a compendium of global filing trends and outcomes in the IP regime including Patents, Trademarks, Industrial designs, plant varieties and Geographical indications.
In this year’s Indicator, India has secured a position at number 6th globally in Patent filings.
Some of the key achievements, that position India as an IP intensive economy are highlighted below:
PATENTS
- 64,480 patent applications filed by origin in 2023;
- 7% growth compared to the previous year;
- The Report remarks that India has consistently featured as one of the main contributors to the overall growth in patent filings.
- India’s sixth consecutive year of double-digit growth.
- India has experienced the largest shift in resident and nonresident filings distribution over the past decade, with increase in resident filings from 28.1% in 2014 to 60.1% in 2024, reflecting an expansion of domestic innovation.
- India has now been ranked at 6th globally in patent filings, ahead of many advanced economies, such as Germany, Canada, Australia, the Russian Federation.
TRADEMARKS
- India features as one of the top five trademark filing offices globally.
- The Trademark office of India recorded a registration class count in 2024 that exceeded the level recorded in 2023 by almost 238,500.
- The trademark registrations were at a phenomenal rate in India and as the report remarks the India’s IP office witnessed the significant increase of 94.5% in trademark registrations.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
- India recorded double-digit growth in design filings, contributing to global design activity which rose by 2.2% in 2024.
- This reflects India’s growing strength not just in technology patents but also in creative and industrial design innovation.
- The office of India led the rise, receiving 12,160 additional applications compared to 2023.
- India registered more than 94% of design applications processed in 2024.
Key Takeaways from World Intellectual Property Indicators 2025
- India is emerging as a global innovation hub, with patent filings being dominated by domestic inventors as compared to foreign inventors.
- The shift from foreign-driven filings to resident-driven filings signals a strengthened and robust IP ecosystem in India.
- India’s strong performance in patents, designs, and trademarks strategically places the nation among the top IP contributors globally.
India: An emerging player in the global IP regime
With a historic achievement of featuring among top 10 nations for patent, trademark and industrial design filings, India has emerged as one of the key players when it comes to IP contributors globally and this rapid growth establishes and affirms India’s expanding emphasis on inventions and IPRs.
Among the top 20 origins, India (16.5%) recorded the fastest growth in patent operations in 2024, marking the sixth consecutive time of double number growth. India is also the only origin among the top 20 to report growth in patent filings every time over the last decade. Further, the report indicates a steady rise in design applications being filed and processed in India, which aligns with adding emphasis on product design, manufacturing, and creative diligence within India.
Also, India ranked fourth globally in trademark applications, with one of the largest volumes of trademark filing (555,613) in 2024. Some of the sectors where largest volume of trademark filings was received included agricultural sector, health and clothing.
Conclusion: what the future holds
The steady rise in patent filings reflects the relentless drive for innovation across the globe. This surge not only emphasizes the vital role of intellectual property in safeguarding and rewarding creativity but also showcases the resilience of the global invention ecosystem as it adapts to emerging challenges.
With nations investing heavily in research and development, and new technologies continually reshaping industries, the landscape of global patents is poised for dynamic transformation. The future promises bold growth and diversification, fuelled by the collective determination of governments, institutions, and individual innovators working hand in hand to push the boundaries of progress.