Last week, government announced a comprehensive national IPR policy, which calls for updating intellectual property laws, including Indian Cinematography Act to remove anomalies and inconsistencies in consultation with stakeholders. It also aims to curb the manufacturing and sale of counterfeits.
Indian courts have kept up the rule of law and protection of patents and rights of patent holders have never been undermined, Sitharaman told reporters here.
The Minister further said, "Also, most importantly in India, conversion of copyright of patents for commercial use has never been a vibrant space."
Very few people even bother to register a patent or apply for a copyright and those who did thought that converting it for commercial use was not their cup of tea, she said.
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"Make it possible for every patent that has the potential for commercial use, make it possible for every copyright that has the potential for commercial use," Sitharaman noted.
Sitharaman said another area where the policy has focused is a "systemic or systematic way" for filing of patents.
"There will be a layer of people who can explain how this can be done (patents and copyrights). How it can be part of your R&D, understand the process, its legal framework under which it works, renewal, if there is litigation over it then a set of lawyers who can help, all this," she added.
Citing examples, she said India has successfully tested with traditional ways of conserving water and the IPR policy has space for that also.
Countries across the globe are looking at sustainable methods of conserving natural resources and in that India has a wealth of information, which was not saved, she added.
"If Nobel prize could be given to a Chinese herbal expert and world over there is in acceptance that there is a scientific remedy available using these herbs.
Asked if the government will register such traditional
"But, at the same time, we will ensure that this is not patented by someone who does not have a historical legacy claim to that system. Like turmeric, like neem. Nobody will hold a proprietary right over it. Everybody can use it. Its been a public right always and it shall remain like that."
There is a need to make sure that there is an organised systematic way to recognise such traditional practices and knowledge, she added.
This way the government will try to exclude instances of commercialisation of traditional knowledge or practices that are available for common good, she added.
On the US' Special 301 report on IPR, Sitharaman said: "We don't even recognise it as their right. It is a unilateral action. The US may do it if they want to do it, but no country has a right to have a oversight mechanism over any policy which prevails in a particular country on their own.
On India's move to file 16 cases against the US for violating WTO treaties as certain programmes of the western nation in the renewable energy sector, which are inconsistent with global norms, Sitharaman said it is being taken up and will "happen soon".
India believes that certain renewable energy programmes in the US at the sub-federal level are inconsistent with WTO provisions, particularly with respect to obligation under GATT 1994, Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and/or TRIMS Agreement.