India offers tremendous growth: US official

BANGALORE: The Indo-US bilateral relationship on

Intellectual Property Rights will touch a new high with Karan Bhatia, Deputy

U.S. Trade Representative, visit to India in the next two weeks. Bhatia and his

team will discuss on trade policies and IPR focused issues.






As a prelude to his visit, Christian Israel, U.S.Co-ordinator for International
IPR, is on a three-day visit to India, to access the situation by talking to

cross section of people.






Addressing the members of Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC),
today, Israel, said, "India and US, who have been partners in growth, must

be partners in IPR protection too, because a thriving, diversified economy must

protect its IPR.”






“IP is a huge economic driver for the U.S. While the U.S. government spends
nearly $135 billion on R&D activities related to healthcare, energy and

security related field, private sector invested $200 billion on R&D,” he

added.






In the last two days, Israel met the Ministry and trade representatives,
Government officials in Delhi and Bangalore.






He said: “India offers a tremendous amount of momentum. We are talking to
different people, how India can be a partner in innovation, growth and in IP

protection. We are also inviting best possible patent from India. We learnt that

India has prepared a traditional database comprising 157,000 items. We are in

the process of forming a working group to address the concerns regarding post

patent.”






About apprehensions on awarding patents for traditional Indian products like
basmati rice and turmeric in US, Dominic Keating, US Attorney of Trademarks

Office in New Delhi, said, “A second patent had been sought in US for such

products and it related to conducting research and development of the base

products.”






''This will help developing new products and biological activities and can be
beneficial to the Indian companies as well. Lot of work can be done in

development of traditional products and protection will help the Indian industry

as well,'' he added.





















In the welcome address, Venkat Kedlaya, vice president, BCIC, said,

“Bangalore has been gaining prominence due to the presence of large number of

research institutes and the associated intellectual work undertaken by them. The

Centre has also granted Rs 100 crore last year.”