Introduction

Over the past ten years, India’s patent ecosystem has seen significant transformation, from being ‘a jurisdiction largely linked to cost-sensitive filings of patents’ to the one ‘that increasingly represents domestic innovation, strategic portfolio building, and worldwide relevance’. By 2025–26, this transition has entered a consolidation phase, when consistent filing activity, as opposed to episodic spikes, indicates that India’s innovation landscape is maturing.

According to the latest data from official government sources and international organisations, India is one of the major patent filing jurisdictions in the world, with a significant rise in resident participation. The recent release of Annual Report 2024-25 in December 2025 verifies this trend, representing a third successive year of double-digit growth driven by a substantial increase in resident filings. This growth is not limited to a particular sector or applicant category; rather, it reflects increased involvement from startups, academic institutions, MSMEs, and established businesses, as well as sustained interest from overseas applicants seeking protection in the Indian market.

The year 2025 is quite notable as it is preceded by a period of high patent filing activity and follows the stabilisation of procedural and regulatory changes brought on by the recent amendments to patent rules. Together, these factors have resulted in, not only an increase in the number of filings, but simultaneously the quality of applications, methods of drafting claims and prosecution behaviour before the Indian Patent Office.

This article looks at India's patent filing trends in 2025 through a data-driven lens, concentrating on filing momentum, applicant alignment, technology-specific distribution, and prosecution dynamics. While the primary emphasis remains on India, a much required comparative reference to lead global countries and key ASEAN jurisdictions is included to situate India’s performance within a broader global innovation context. The objective is not to rank jurisdictions, but to highlight the fact that India's patent system is rapidly being seen as a strategically significant and legally mature filing destination.

Patent Filing Momentum in India: Past years records

India’s patent filing momentum entering 2025–26 is best described as consolidation built on sustained growth. From 2020 onwards, the filing of patent applications has seen a gradual increase, i.e. 58,503 in FY 2020–2021 to 92,168 in FY 2023–24. The most recent official reporting shows that FY 2024–25 was a landmark year for patent activity in India: 110,375 patent applications were filed during the year, representing roughly a 19.7% year-on-year increase compared with the prior year. This milestone, crossing the 1.1 lakh mark for the first time, establishes a high baseline for subsequent analysis of 2025 trends.

Fig 1. Chart results showing trends of Patent Applications filed from FY 2020-21 to 2024-25 , adapted from "Annual Report 2024-25," by O/o CGPDTM.

In FY 2024–2025, overall IP filings across categories increased by about 20% year over year, with total IPR applications approaching 0.75 million (driven primarily by trademarks, but with patents among the fastest-growing categories). This indicates that the increase in patent filings is not an isolated statistic but rather a part of a broader expansion in IP activity. According to government reporting, IP filings have increased by almost 44% throughout the five-year period (2020–21 → 2024–25), highlighting the structural character of the development rather than a cyclical blip.

The increasing percentage of resident (India-based) filings is a significant structural change supporting this momentum. Approximately 61–62% of all patent applications in FY 2024–2025 were from domestic applicants (more than 68,000 resident filings), indicating increased domestic R&D activity and wider IP uptake by startups, academia, MSMEs and corporates. It reflects a significant increase from the previous year’s figure of 51,574 (FY 2023–24), representing a 32.23% increase in FY 2024–25. This change in applicant composition, from a historically non-resident-dominated mix to a resident-majority split, is one of the most significant developments in recent years.

When it comes to State-level filing of patent applications, Tamil Nadu leads with 15,440 patent filings in FY 2024-25 (23% of national resident total), driven by biotech/healthcare hubs like IIT Madras, state incentives for startups/MSMEs, and policies fostering R&D in AI, renewables, and engineering, followed by Karnataka with 8,371 filings, fueled by Bengaluru's IT/software and biotech clusters (e.g., genome valley), plus incentives like Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society grants, and third at Maharashtra (7,893 filings, Mumbai/Pune pharma/manufacturing hubs) and emerging ones (Uttar Pradesh, 5,703; Punjab, 4,461) with per-capita insights and policy comparisons.

These national figures sit within a broader international context of rapid growth for India’s inventive activity. According to WIPO’s Global Indicators, India continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing patent origins in 2025 (following from previous years), marking several consecutive years of double-digit growth and ranking the country in the top 6 global patent filers (after China, US, Japan, Korea, and EPO). WIPO specifically attributes much of this India’s recent increase to be driven by strong growth in resident filings. This trend is further reflected in India’s growing use of the PCT system, with WIPO identifying India among the top 10 countries of origin for international patent filings.

Fig 2. WIPO IP Facts & Figures 2025; WIPO Statistics Database, September 2025, by WIPO

Several operational and policy developments have supported the Patent Office’s capacity to absorb these higher volumes. The IP India Office rolled out an IP statistics dashboard in 2025 to improve transparency and monitoring of filings, and the CGPDTM’s annual reporting highlights investments in examiner recruitment and digital workflows, measures that reduce procedural friction and help normalise elevated filing levels. Taken together, these administrative improvements have helped convert a filing surge into sustainable momentum.

What does this mean for 2025–26? The FY 2024–25 results make 2025–26 a year for observing whether the higher baseline will stabilise into an enduring pattern. Early indicators (institutional capacity, resident participation, and WIPO rankings) point to a consolidation of patenting activity: filings are no longer episodic spikes but increasingly reflect routine contributions from a wider cross-section of India’s innovation ecosystem.

Resident and Non-Resident Filings: Applicant and Sector-wise Shifts

While aggregate filing numbers establish the scale of patent activity in India, a closer examination of who is filing and in which technological domains reveals a more nuanced picture of the country’s evolving innovation ecosystem. The distinction between resident and non-resident filings is no longer merely quantitative; it reflects divergent motivations, sectoral strengths, and patenting strategies.

Fig 3. Table showing Patent Applications Filed by Residents and Non-residents over a Decade through different routes, adapted from "Annual Report 2024-25," by O/o CGPDTM.

Applicant Category Analysis

Data from the CGPDTM Annual Reports 2024-25 indicates that the increase in resident filings is not uniformly distributed across applicant types. A significant proportion of domestic applications originate from startups, MSMEs, and academic or public-funded research institutions, rather than from large legacy corporations alone. This is evident from the rising share of applications filed under applicant categories eligible for fee reductions and facilitation schemes.

In my assessment, this trend suggests that patenting in India is increasingly being used as an early-stage strategic tool rather than a late-stage defensive mechanism. Startups and academic institutions often file patents at the proof-of-concept or prototype stage, relying on provisional specifications and narrower initial claim sets. This behaviour contrasts with that of large multinational applicants, who typically enter India with well-developed inventions and globally harmonised claim strategies.

Non-resident applicants, by contrast, remain dominated by multinational corporations with established global patent portfolios. Their filings are generally fewer in number per applicant but stronger in terms of claim breadth and drafting sophistication. Importantly, CGPDTM data shows that while non-resident filings continue at stable levels, their relative share has declined not due to withdrawal, but because domestic participation has expanded faster.

Fig 4. Table showing Trends in Applicant Category-wise, Filing of Patent Applications, adapted from "Annual Report 2024-25," by O/o CGPDTM.

Sector-Wise Comparison of Resident and Non-Resident Filings

A sectoral breakdown further highlights qualitative differences between resident and non-resident patenting behaviour. According to technology-wise classification data published by the Indian Patent Office and reflected in WIPO patent statistics, non-resident filings remain heavily concentrated in the following sectors: Pharmaceuticals and chemical inventions, Electronics and semiconductor-related technologies, and Manufacturing processes and mechanical systems.

These sectors align closely with India’s role as a major pharmaceutical market, manufacturing hub, and electronics production base. In such areas, foreign applicants typically seek market exclusivity and manufacturing protection, often tailoring claims specifically to Indian patentability standards under Sections 3(d) and 3(k).

Resident filings, on the other hand, show greater dispersion across: Computer-related inventions and AI-enabled systems (drafted with technical-effect emphasis), Clean and green technologies, including energy efficiency and electric mobility, and Medical devices as well as diagnostics, rather than core pharmaceutical compounds.

Fig 5. Table showing Trends in Technology-wise Filing of Patent Applications, adapted from "Annual Report 2024-25," by O/o CGPDTM.

This divergence is analytically significant. It suggests that domestic innovation in India is currently stronger in applied and system-level technologies, while foreign applicants dominate capital-intensive and research-heavy domains such as pharmaceuticals and advanced electronics. In my view, this pattern reflects structural realities, such as funding depth, R&D timelines, and access to global research infrastructure, rather than shortcomings in domestic inventive capacity.

Examination, Grant Rates, and Pendency Trends in India

Examination outcomes and grant data serve as a better indication of the functional performance of the Indian patent system beyond volumes of filing applications alone. According to statistics published by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), the Indian Patent Office granted 33,504 patents in FY 2024–25. This figure shows a significant drop from the unusually high number of grants recorded in the previous financial year (FY 2023-24 - 103,057).

However, this reduction should be put in perspective. The exceptionally large number of patents granted in FY 2023–24 was mainly due to the intensive backlog clearance carried out by the Patent Office after sustained recruitment of examiners and process optimisation. In comparison, the grant figures for FY 2024–25 reflect a phase of procedural normalisation, wherein examination output appears to be aligning more closely with contemporaneous filing inflows instead of historical pendency reduction.

From an analytical perspective, this shift indicates a transition from backlog-driven grant activity to a more calibrated examination framework. Rather than signalling reduced examination capacity, the FY 2024–25 grant data indicates a system moving toward equilibrium: balancing fresh filings, ongoing examinations, and grant issuance within stabilised timelines.

Pendency trends reinforce this interpretation. Official reporting over recent years indicates a substantial reduction in average pendency compared to pre-2020 levels, attributable to digitisation of prosecution workflows, streamlined examination processes, and sustained examiner capacity building. As a result, the emphasis in FY 2024–25 appears to have shifted from volume-driven disposals to maintaining consistency and quality in examination outcomes.

For 2025–26, this recalibrated grant pattern is significant. It suggests that patent filings during this period are being processed within a more predictable and stable examination environment, enhancing the likelihood that granted patents reflect substantive examination rather than accelerated disposals. This development strengthens the overall credibility and enforceability of patents granted in India, particularly for applicants adopting long-term portfolio strategies.

Global Perspective: Key Jurisdictions

In order to place India’s patent filing trends in a global context, it is necessary to contrast the same with certain jurisdictions which represent distinct patenting models. Based on the FY 2024-25 filing data published in 2025, the following countries provide useful benchmarks for enforcement value, scalability, sectoral trends, and legal maturity.

Jurisdictions that are placed ahead of India

1. China

China is a scale-driven patenting jurisdiction, wherein reportedly the innovators based in the country filed a high number of patent applications worldwide in the year 2024-25, that is , 1.8 million (Residents filing) which is 49.1% of all global filings. This makes China the single largest contributor to global patent filing.

2. United States

With roughly 501,800 patent applications filed in 2024, the United States represents a contrasting model showing the strength of the country in litigation potential, enforceability, and commercial exclusivity. Though the numbers are far below China’s, U.S. patents carry high quality and market leverage globally.

3. Japan

Japan recorded approximately 419,100 patent applications in 2024-25 which seems to be driven largely by mature corporate R&D in electronics, automotive technologies, and precision manufacturing. The majority of filings are resident-based and are closely lined up with long-term industrial innovation cycles.

4. Republic of Korea

South Korea filed around 295,700 patent applications in 2024 which demonstrates a high-technology based ecosystem which is more focused on electronics, semiconductors, and the IT sector. The country also marked the strong resident dominance and showed concentrated sectoral strengths.

5. Germany/EPO

In Europe, Germany (with 133,485 patent filings) as well as the European Patent Office (EPO) combined represent the high quality examination strategies and rigorous grant standards which shape the portfolio designs across multiple national markets. This shows Europe’s quality-filtered patenting models, with a significant volume of filings processed through bloc-level examination.

Key ASEAN Jurisdictions (Regional Context) - A regional comparison with key ASEAN Jurisdictions further sharpens India’s positioning within Asia.

1. Singapore

The country, with approximately 10,300 patent applications filed in 2024-25, exhibits a high rate of PCT filings per capita and functions as a high-quality regional IP hub. Its patent system emphasises on procedural efficiency, commercialisation, and predictability, and thus positions the country as a useful comparator for quality-focused patenting strategies rather than a volume-driven one. Despite certain setbacks, the country maintained its position amongst the top 5 countries in the Global Innovation Index for the third consecutive year as the most innovative country.

2. Indonesia

By contrast, Indonesia recorded about 2,500 patent applications in 2024-25 which reflects the country’s emerging patent system and focus closely linked to manufacturing and process protection. The country’s resident filings are gradually increasing, though the overall volume remains modest, and the non-resident based applications continue to play a major role.

3. Malaysia

Malaysia filed roughly 1,700 patent applications in 2024-25 which reflects a middle position within ASEAN countries. The same comprises both domestic as well as foreign applications. The country shows a steady but limited scalability which is aligned with incremental technological growth.

4. Vietnam

Vietnam recorded around 1,400 patent applications in 2024-25 which shows a strong and rapid year-on-year growth. However, the filings remain largely non-resident specific and are concentrated in manufacturing-targeted technologies.

Viewed against these global and regional benchmarks, India occupies a distinctive model and increasingly strategic position in the international patent landscape. India represents a hybrid system of combined growing scale with increasing resident-centric participation and diversified sectoral pursuits. India’s filing system not only has the mature corporate R&D, but also reflects the greater participation from startups, MSMEs, academic institutions, and established businesses. This trend indicates a more distributed innovation base in the country. India’s focus is also on the better structured examination practices which is visible from the latest changes in the patent framework and thus signal a move towards greater legal certainty at the national level.

Regionally, India stands apart from ASEAN countries. Unlike Singapore’s efficiency-driven IP hub model or Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam’s manufacturing-based and majorly foreign filing portfolios, India shows scalability, resident-majority filings, and expansion of international patent activity.

Looking at it from the analytical lens, this positions India as a uniquely balanced patent jurisdiction, bridging the gap between high-volume global leaders and quality-focused innovation hubs, thereby reinforcing its role as a core and indispensable market within global patent portfolios..

Strategic Takeaways for Applicants

The patent filing and prosecution trends observed during FY 2024–25, viewed in light of India’s placement among the leading patent jurisdictions worldwide, indicate that India’s patent system has entered a phase of operational and substantive maturity. As reflected in CGPDTM Annual Reports (2023–24 and 2024–25), examination capacity has stabilised and historical backlogs have largely been addressed, reducing the effectiveness of volume-driven or template-based filing strategies. The rising share of resident filings and increased participation from startups, academic institutions, and MSMEs further intensify competition within the system. As a result, applicants, both domestic and foreign, must invest greater effort at the drafting stage to ensure clarity, technical substantiation, and defensible claim scope.

India’s statutory framework under the Patents Act, 1970, read with the amended Patent Rules, continues to demand jurisdiction-specific claim drafting. For computer-related inventions, successful prosecution hinges on demonstrating concrete technical effects and system-level implementation in light of Section 3(k), while pharmaceutical and life-science applications must be structured with clear awareness of Section 3(d) and supported by robust technical disclosure. Examination practice further reflects a shift toward substantive engagement, with hearings playing an increasingly central role in resolving objections relating to eligibility, inventive step, and unity. As a result, applicants must be prepared for active prosecution strategies rather than prolonged written exchanges.

At the portfolio level, global filing patterns reflected in WIPO World Intellectual Property Indicators (2024 and 2025) and PCT statistics underscore India’s evolving role as both a major filing destination and a source of international patent applications. India’s consistent ranking among the top PCT countries of origin signals the growing integration of Indian-origin inventions into global patent portfolios. For multinational applicants, this evolution positions India as a core jurisdiction requiring tailored strategy, rather than a routine national-phase extension. For domestic innovators, it reinforces the importance of aligning Indian filings with long-term international protection and commercialisation objectives.

Taken together, and when assessed against global patenting benchmarks, these developments suggest that effective patent strategy in India during 2025–26 requires a calibrated approach that combines legal precision, procedural foresight, and portfolio discipline. Applicants who adapt to India’s increasingly structured examination environment are better positioned to secure enforceable rights and derive sustained value from their Indian patent assets.

Conclusion

India’s patent filing trends in FY 2024-25 (effective December 2025), when viewed against the leading global and regional patent systems, signal the consolidation of a more mature and strategically significant patent ecosystem, marked by sustained filing activity, rising resident participation, diversified technology focus, and stabilised examination outcomes. The evidence suggests that patenting in India is increasingly driven by domestic innovation and deliberate portfolio strategies rather than episodic or externally driven filings. As India strengthens its position within global patent networks, applicants must respond with jurisdiction-specific approaches that prioritise quality, enforceability, and long-term value, reinforcing India’s role as a core patent jurisdiction within the broader global innovation landscape.

Author :- Aditi Yadav, in case of any query, contact us at Global Patent Filing or write back us via email at support@globalpatentfiling.com.

References

1. Annual Report 2024-25, O/o CGPDTM, Government of India (2025), https://ipindia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/Images/pdf/English_Annual_Report_2024-25.pdf

2. O/o CGPDTM, IP Statistics Dashboard (Intellectual Property India, accessed 23 January 2026) https://ipindia.gov.in/dashboard/

3. Press Information Bureau releases;

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2201280&lang=2®=3&utm_source=chatgpt.com; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2146928&utm_source=chatgpt.com®=3&lang=2

4. WIPO World Intellectual Property Indicators (2025); https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/world-intellectual-property-indicators-2025-highlights/en/patents-highlights.html

5. WIPO IP Facts & Figures (2025); https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo-pub-943-2025-en-wipo-ip-facts-and-figures-2025.pdf

6. WIPO PCT Yearly Review and Statistics; https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/pct-yearly-review-executive-summary-2025/en/pct-yearly-review-2025-executive-summary.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

7. WIPO Statistical Country Profile - Patent Statistics [Data portal], https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/statistics/country_profile/

8. The Patents Act, 1970;

9. The Patents Rules, 2003 (as amended).