.jpeg)
As the world marks World Intellectual Property (IP) Day, India’s patent landscape has seen a remarkable transformation. The latest Patent Pulse 2025 report from Nasscom reveals that India has not only maintained its position as the fifth-largest contributor to global patent filings but is also emerging as a dominant force in Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation.
With over 90,000 patents filed in FY24 and AI-related patents accounting for more than a quarter of the country’s tech patents, India is fast becoming a global hub for cutting-edge inventions. However, despite this surge in filings, challenges remain in improving patent quality and approval timelines to match the pace of global innovation.
The Patent Pulse 2025 report, released ahead of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day, highlights India’s growing role in global patenting trends. India’s patent-to-GDP ratio has increased 2.6 times over the last decade—from 144 in 2013 to 381 in 2023—signaling the country’s transition to an innovation-driven economy. With a dramatic rise in global patent grants, India’s share has more than doubled to 3.8% in 2023, up from 1.7% the previous year, marking a significant growth of 149.4% annually.
In FY24, India saw over 90,000 patents filed, marking its seventh consecutive year of growth. Of these, more than 100,000 patents were granted, reflecting not only a substantial improvement in the efficiency of the Indian Patent Office but also a rise in the quality of patent applications.
This increase is largely driven by domestic filers, who accounted for over 55% of the total filings, up from 52.3% in FY23. Educational institutions, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and startups have emerged as key contributors, signaling a broader, more inclusive innovation ecosystem across the country.
Artificial Intelligence has been a key driver in this growth, with over 86,000 AI-related patents filed between 2010 and 2025, making up more than 25% of all technology patents in India. The pace of AI innovation has dramatically accelerated, with filings between 2021 and 2025 being seven times higher than those filed between 2010 and 2015.
India has firmly positioned itself as a global leader, with 63% of these AI patents filed by Indian entities, far outpacing other countries in terms of domestic contributions.
Machine Learning (ML) continues to dominate AI patent filings, making up over 55% of India’s total AI patents. Within this, Generative AI (GenAI) has emerged as a major area of focus, accounting for 50% of all ML-related patents in the country. Notably, India’s emphasis on GenAI is particularly remarkable—while GenAI accounts for just 6% of global AI patents, it represents 28% of India’s AI filings, positioning India among the top five globally in this domain.
The sectors leading this charge include transportation, which accounts for more than 70% of India’s AI-related patent filings, as well as Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, which together contribute to over 90% of the country’s AI patent portfolio.
Despite these impressive advancements, India faces challenges in terms of patent grants. The country’s AI patent grant ratio remains low at just 0.37%, far behind global leaders such as China and the US. The grant ratio for educational institutions is particularly concerning, at only 1%, in stark contrast to the 40% grant ratio seen for corporate entities.
This disparity highlights the need for stronger research and development (R&D) capabilities, better institutional support, and enhanced focus on high-quality IP creation.
Rajesh Nambiar, President of Nasscom, noted the progress India has made but called attention to ongoing challenges. "While India has made steady progress in strengthening its intellectual property regime, with increased filings and a more responsive Indian Patent Office, long timelines for patent approvals and quality patents remain key concerns when compared to advanced economies," he said.
Nambiar stressed that India must take urgent steps to build its patent system’s capacity to sustain and accelerate the improvements seen so far.
To help address these challenges, Nasscom has launched its IP Enablement Initiative. This comprehensive program aims to advance India’s leadership in intellectual property, increase awareness and education across academia, startups, and industry, and build stronger infrastructure for innovation.
The initiative also advocates for policies that create a more robust, innovation-friendly IP environment, and emphasises the need for cultural and ecosystem-level changes to support higher-quality IP creation in India.
