India Signs Final Act of Riyadh Design Law Treaty

New Delhi, 26th November : India has signed the final act of the Riyadh Design Law Treaty (DLT), reaffirming its commitment to promoting inclusive development and strengthening its intellectual property (IP) ecosystem.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday, it was mentioned that member countries of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adopted the historic Design Law Treaty (DLT) after nearly two decades of intense deliberations. The treaty aims to harmonize industrial design protection processes globally, benefiting all stakeholders, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The Ministry stated that by signing the decisive act of the Riyadh Design Law Treaty, India is advancing its progress while reaffirming its commitment to promoting inclusive development and ensuring equitable access to intellectual property protection. The treaty aims to improve the efficiency and accessibility of registration processes across multiple jurisdictions by harmonizing procedural formats for industrial design protection.

The Ministry further explained that DLT introduces a standardized framework for industrial design registration, significantly reducing procedural complexities and administrative burdens for applicants. By aligning registration requirements across various jurisdictions, the treaty aims to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and independent designers, thereby fostering innovation and creativity.

The Ministry of Commerce also emphasized that these provisions, when combined with initiatives such as the Startup India program and the Startup Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) scheme, will help startups and SMEs secure global design rights, enhance their competitiveness, and support market development. India, with its rich heritage of creativity and craftsmanship, has long recognized the critical role of design in driving long-term economic growth.

As a catalyst for innovation, the country’s policy on design protection has delivered impressive results. In the past decade, design registrations in India have tripled, with a 120% increase in domestic filings over the past two years. Notably, there was a 25% increase in design applications in the last year alone.