Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for adoption of Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme by the Indian Patent Office (IPO) with patent offices of various other interest countries or regions.

The PPH programme will initially commence between Japan Patent Office (JPO) and Indian Patent Office (IPO) for a period of three years. The duration and ambit may extend in future. The benefits which may be expected from the programme as per the Govt. of India, Press release are as follows: –

1. Reduction in time to dispose patent applications.
2. Reduction in pendency of patent applications.
3. Improvement in quality of search and examination of patent applications.
4. An opportunity for Indian inventors including MSMEs and Start-ups of India to get accelerated examination of their patent applications in Japan.

To implement PPH, the Indian patent office has brought amendment in the Patent Rules 2003 notified in September 2019. The amendment introduces a new category of applicant, “whose application is eligible under an arrangement for processing a patent application pursuant to an agreement between Indian Patent Office and a foreign Patent Office” who could avail the benefits of expedited examination.