NEW DELHI: The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) secretary Ramesh Abhishek said today that the department was committed towards creating a highly transparent, e-enabled, efficient and accessible IP ecosystem in India that would provide legal certainty to the industry.

Inaugurating a conference on ‘Intellectual Property: A Key Enabler for Strengthening India’s Business Landscape’organized here today to commemorate the World Intellectual Property Day 2016, he said the patent rules were being amended and start-ups were being given a heavy discount in patent fees and provided with free consultation to encourage entrepreneurship in the country.

The conference was organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in association with DIPP and Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

Abhishek said IP was a critical element for protecting creativity and innovation. A strong IPR regime would create a suitable climate for foreign investors and would give them the much-needed assurance that their patents, designs and trademarks were being protected. India had received a record FDI in the last year; hence, a resilient IPR regime would attract more investors to the country. He added that a robust IPR system would also encourage new technology to come to India.

DIPP joint secretary Rajiv Aggarwal said that IP and IPR had the power of unshackling the barriers faced by the economies around the globe. DIPP was committed towards ensuring a robust IPR regime for the country with a balanced outlook. He added that the IPR regime in India is being developed keeping in mind the interest of the businesses and the needs of the society.

FICCI secretary general A Didar Singh, said the year 2016 marked a step forward for India in its IP history with the Indian leadership adequately recognizing the crucial role that intellectual property played in fostering innovation, accelerating growth and enhancing business competitiveness. Initiatives such as Make in India, Start-up India, Imprint India, and Digital India are further reinforcing this vibrant vision.

Patents, Designs and Trademark controller general O P Gupta chaired a session on ‘Securing IP Edge for Business Growth and Competence’. The session focused on Startup India, Launch of (SIPP) Scheme for Start-Ups; IP audits, Patent Mapping, IP sensitive business models; and Identifying modes of Commercializing such as licensing, pooling, trading, prototyping, acquisitions and mergers.

As a part of the World IP Week, FICCI had organized an annual slogan and poster making competition for all age groups across the country from 13 to 20 April. The objective of the youth-focused competition was to instill respect for copyright among the youngsters by showcasing the issue of piracy which is eating away the genuine revenue of the copyright industry, thereby affecting the culture of creativity.Awards were given away to two winners in each of the two categories: above and below 18 years.