Event Coverage
DIPP nodal department to deal with copyright protection, Govt sets up single-window on IPR
NEW DELHI: Issues of copyright have been shifted to the department of Industrial Policy & Promotion of the Commerce and Industry ministry, which will be the nodal department to deal with all issues related to copyright in the country.
This was revealed recently by DIPP Joint Secretary Rajiv Aggarwal at a seminar on ‘Managing Copyright in Publishing’ organized by FICCI along with the Department and World Intellectual Property Organization.
Copyright has until now been the preserve of the Human Resource Development ministry and the film, music and television industries have always grudged this as they feel it should be with the Information and Broadcasting ministry.
The programme aimed at highlighting the key issues of piracy and counterfeit in publishing was addressed among others by World Intellectual Property Organization director general Francis Gurry. The transition to digital devices and new models of content distribution has initiated a rethinking of IP and DRM regimes.
Gurry emphasised that in the last 20 years, copyright has moved from the periphery to the centre of the economic systems. This was not just because of the increased importance of intellectual property in a knowledge economy, but it was a natural consequence of the role of the essential mechanism that governs production, distribution and consumption of knowledge works in a society.
Emphasising the fact that India was the first signatory to the Marrakesh Treaty, Gurry highlighted that the treaty would enable national exceptions in copyright across the globe to speak to each other. This was particularly important in publishing.
WIPO assistant director general, chief of staff in the office of the director general, Naresh Prasad emphasised that copyright was increasingly emerging as a key component of the IP landscape globally. The seminar on copyright in publishing, he said was a very timely intervention of the role that copyright would play in publishing in India. There was an urgent need to focus on enhancing awareness and outreach.
Meanwhile, a single window interface has been unveiled by the Government for information on IPR and guidance on leveraging it for competitive advantage. The Indian IP Panorama portal sought to increase awareness and build sensitivity towards IP, among stakeholders in the SME sector, academia and researchers. The Indian IP Panorama can be accessed at http://ict-ipr.in/index.php/ip-panorama
It was a customized version of IP Panorama Multimedia toolkit developed by World Intellectual Property Organization, Korean Intellectual Property Office and Korea Invention Promotion Association.
The toolkit has been adapted to cater to SMEs and start-ups, especially in the ICTE sector of India based on an agreement signed between WIPO and Department of Electronic and Information Technology. The Indian IP Panorama was thus a customized version of WIPO’s original product and was in accordance with Indian IP laws, standards, challenges and needs of the Indian ICTE sector.
The following five modules of the Indian IP Panorama have been released:
1. “Importance of IP for SMEs”,
2. “Trademark”,
3. “Industrial design”,
4. “Invention and Patent” and
5. “Patent Information”
The Indian IP Panorama has been developed under the aegis of Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Government of India by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), in close coordination with the Indian IP office.
Besides DIPP Secretary Ramesh Abhishek who released the Panorama, Gurry was also present on the occasion.
A survey of the Madrid Protocol usage by the Indian industry and a report on “Marketing Campaign in India for International Registration of Trade Marks”, was also released. The survey was conducted and the report prepared by the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore in cooperation with DIPP as part of a study funded by WIPO. The study will help the Indian industry to take advantage of the Madrid system.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
