General Statement by India at the 21^st Session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) [14-18 May 2018] delivered by Sh. Animesh Choudhury, Second Secretary. [14^th of May 2018, WIPO HQ, Geneva]

Mr. Chair,

1. First of all, India would like to thank you and the Vice-Chairs for your election to steer the proceedings of this committee. The delegation of India is hopeful that under your able leadership and guidance, this session will make the desired progress on issues of vital importance to all member states.

2. India would like to align itself with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group.

Mr. Chair,

3. India looks forward to discussions on the Director General’s Report on the implementation of the Development Agenda and the report on WIPO’s Contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and its associated targets.

4. We strongly believe that for a balanced and effective international IP system, it is imperative that we take a holistic view of its impact. We need to factor in both the benefits of IP with respect to fostering innovation as well as the costs it entails on the ability of developing countries and LDCs in meeting their socio-economic developmental concerns.

5. India is of the view that WIPO as the principal norm setting body in the field of Intellectual Property in the world has a much bigger role to play to spearhead international norm-setting and policy guidelines and ensure effective, balanced and development-oriented implementation of the global IP system.

Mr Chair,

6. In the context of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, India would like to emphasize that WIPO’s role cannot be confined to a specific number of SDGs. WIPO should cover all of them in a comprehensive and holistic manner. The Sustainable Developmental Goals are universal, integral and indivisible in character. We believe that each and every SDG, be it the one on poverty elimination, the one on good health and well-being, the one on quality education and the others, is fully relevant to the scope of WIPO’s activities.

Mr. Chair,

7. Under the agenda item ‘IP and development’, India welcomes the proposal of Brazil which suggests six activities for discussion and consideration of member states. India also welcomes the proposal put forward by the Russian Federation under the same agenda item, which proposes to discuss issues concerning digitization of economies and the influence of new technologies on the IP sphere.

Mr. Chair,

8. India is positive that the discussions on WIPO Technical Assistance in the area of Cooperation for Development would bring uniformity, better organization and clarity to existing processes and practices.

Mr. Chair,

9. India looks forward to engaging productively and constructively in the discussions during the 21^st Session of the CDIP.

Thank You.