Govt to revamp patent laws: Nath

Intellectual property rights must be backed by a strong enforcement mechanism that will effectively curb counterfeiting and piracy, an official of the World Intellectual Property Organisation said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Speaking at a seminar hosted by FICCI, Wolfgang Starein, director (enforcement and special projects division), WIPO, also highlighted the need for legislative framework in developing countries in tune with international norms.

In his message to the seminar, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said the government had undertaken an ambitious programme to modernise the IPR administrative infrastructure, according to an official release.

He also said the modernised patent law would create a conducive investment environment.

Nath underlined the need for educating the bureaucracy about intellectual property regime for effective enforcement of IP rights and facilitating sound business strategies and public policy.

That would help the country in transforming itself into a new destination for contract manufacturing and research.

"What the economy now needs is to effectively harness the potential of IP for its sustained growth and development to meet the challenge of creating wealth from intellectual property," he said.