New Delhi, Mar 23 (KNN) In a move to incentivise innovation in the technical textiles sector, the Indian government is preparing a framework to grant exclusive intellectual property (IP) rights to industry and academia. 

The proposed guidelines aim to foster the development of copyrights, trademarks, and patents for non-aesthetic textile products used in various industrial applications.

Under the draft rules formulated by the Textiles Ministry, companies that contribute at least 50 per cent funding to projects under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) will be granted 10 years of exclusive rights to commercialise the resulting IP. Similarly, firms investing a minimum of 10 per cent in such projects will enjoy two years of exclusivity.

The IP generated through these research initiatives will generally vest with the host institution on behalf of the ministry. However, the government will retain march-in rights, including the option for compulsory licensing, to safeguard public interest in case of exigencies related to the patented technologies.

“The idea is to streamline the financial and technical contributions from industry for IPR generation to encourage industry participation,” explained a ministry official.

For jointly developed IP, where an academic or public-funded institution collaborates with a private firm, the draft rules propose a two-year exclusive licensing period for the industry partner. 

Beyond this period, the IP can be renewed with the same company or made available to other interested parties, subject to milestone achievements and royalty realisation.

Emphasising the importance of affordability, the official stressed that technologies and products developed through government funding should be reasonably priced to serve public interest.

The draft guidelines also outline provisions for the government to recover industry contributions made towards indigenous manufacturing of machinery, tools, and equipment for technical textiles through royalties, along with 50 per cent of the total project cost.

With 137 projects valued at around Rs 474 crore already sanctioned under the NTTM, the proposed IP framework aims to catalyse innovation and accelerate the growth of India's technical textiles sector, which caters to diverse industries ranging from agriculture to healthcare and infrastructure.

(KNN Bureau)