Welcome Remarks by Shri Dilip Sinha, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International organizations in Geneva on the visit of the Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles of India and High-level Policy Dialogue at WIPO on 8 April 2013

***

Hon’ble Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles of India
Director General WIPO
Distinguished Colleagues & Friends,
Ladies & Gentlemen

 I wish to thank the Director General WIPO, Dr. Francis Gurry, for organizing this High-Level Policy Dialogue and for inviting our Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles to speak on India’s initiatives and policies on innovation and intellectual property.  I also wish to thank all of you for coming to this event.

Intellectual property is an important contributor to economic growth and to the technological development of a country. In today’s knowledge-based global economy, innovation and intellectual property have become critical to a country’s development.  India has established an effective framework for protecting intellectual property rights.                       

  The Indian Parliament recently approved an amendment to the Indian Trademarks Act to enable India to accede to the Protocol relating to Madrid Agreement concerning the International Registration of Marks.  It gives me great pleasure to inform you that at this event today, India will deposit its Instrument of Accession to the Protocol.  We are convinced that our accession to the Madrid Protocol will benefit our industry and promote our economic development by encouraging investment and business activities in the country. Madrid Protocol provides a simplified and cost- effective way of protection of trademarks in multiple countries, which is beneficial for the right holders.  We look forward to more countries joining this Protocol.

 I would now like to request Minister Sharma to hand over India’s Instrument of Accession to the Director General to mark India’s accession to the Madrid Protocol.

**********