An article published in the Indian Express on 11/01/2015, titled “More Spends on Patents Needed”, examined the comparatively low number of patents filed by Indian companies relative to multinational corporations and non-resident Indians. Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala was among the experts cited in the article.
Commenting on the patent behaviour of Indian enterprises, Dr. Kalyan observed:
MNCs see patents as an investment and not expenditure. Most Indian companies are not IP-savvy and those who file patents do not know how to leverage them for business development.
The remark reflects a broader challenge in the Indian innovation ecosystem: while the number of patent filings by domestic applicants has grown over the years, Indian companies have historically under-utilised patents as strategic business assets. The distinction drawn between treating a patent as an expenditure versus an investment underscores the cultural and managerial shift required for Indian enterprises to compete effectively in IP-intensive global markets.
Disclaimer
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