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India has not lost basmati patent case, asserts govt

The government on Thursday asserted there was no truth in reports that India had lost its case on basmati with an American firm securing patents for variants of this superior variety and that this would in no way affect the country's exports of basmati rice especially to the United States.

"Such reports are incorrect and based on misinterpretation," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Raman Singh said in the Lok Sabha adding the decision of the United States Patent and Trademark Office 'signals victory for India'.

Making a statement, he said the grant of the said patent had not affected India's exports in general and to the USA in particular.

Disagreeing with the criticism that there was lack of initiative on the part of the Government in fighting the issue, the minister said when this patent was granted in 1997, the government had treated it as a matter of immediate concern.

Therefore, it was decided that measures be taken to challenge this patent before USPTO, he said.

He said following broad-based inter-ministerial consultations and evaluation by technical and legal experts, it was decided to file a petition in the USPTO to challenge claims that would have made Indian exports of basmati to the US difficult. This challenge was filed on April 27, 2000.

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