Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations

Geneva 

STATEMENT BY INDIA

Report on the Inter-Governmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), delivered by Dr. Manoj Nesari, Adviser (Ayurveda), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India at WIPO GA on 5 October 2017

Mr. President 

The delegation of India would like to congratulate the Traditional Knowledge Division of WIPO for providing a comprehensive report on the Inter-Governmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, as per the agreed mandate for the IGC for the 2016 / 2017 biennium.

India has a rich heritage in Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, especially traditional systems of medicine, with immense social, cultural, economic and commercial value.

There is an urgent need to intervene and protect such knowledge from misappropriation globally, while providing space and environment for dynamic development of Traditional knowledge for the benefit of custodians of such knowledge and other members of the society. Thus, India attaches utmost importance to the work of the IGC. 

Mr. President

India has developed a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) - a pioneering initiative in providing defensive protection to India’s traditional systems of medicine of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Yoga.

India has also launched a visionary National IPR Policy, which lays special emphasis on expanding the ambit of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) to cover other fields too.

 Mr. President

The IGC, after the last General Assembly, held two sessions each on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions. In addition, WIPO Secretariat organised Seminars on Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions. This has helped provide more clarity as also a platform to understanding different perspectives, and given an insight into various key issues still being debated during the IGC.

We would also like to place on record our appreciation for the Chair in identification of outstanding/ pending issues as indicative lists. This has facilitated structured and focussed discussions in all the six sessions of the IGC.

IGC 31 and 32 on Traditional Knowledge, and 33 and 34 on Traditional Cultural Expressions witnessed forward movement. It is worth appreciating that the gaps in the texts have narrowed down, and sincere effort has gone in order to achieve consensus on the text on TK and TCEs.

India supports an early finalization of an international legal instrument on all three issues, that is - Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions. The absence of such a legally binding instrument has allowed the continued misappropriation and bio-piracy of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, which is resulting in an imbalance of the global intellectual property system against the holders of TK.

Mr. President,

We take note of the report of IGC, and would like to see the strengthening the mandate of the IGC for the next Biennium. We need to continue text-based negotiations, ultimately paving the way for convening of Diplomatic Conference.

With these words I thank you, Mr. President