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Indian copyright law is one of the strongest in the world: USTR report
NEW DELHI: Despite vehement and exhaustive submissions arraying the strength of the Indian IP regime, India continues to be on the watch list in the United States Trade Representative (USTR) 2014 Special 301 Report.
Others in the list are China, Russia, Algeria, Argentina, Chile, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand and Venezuela.
The report, however, commends India for its achievements like digitisation and upgradation of IP offices and active copyright enforcement by the Delhi High Court through injunctive relief, to name a few. In the report, the US has also recognised the role of bilateral engagements between US and India to resolve concerns relating to Intellectual Property.
“FICCI in its response to Hearing Testimony of India before USTR had strongly asserted that India has a well-established legislative, administrative and judicial framework to safeguard IPRs which meets its obligations under TRIPS, and has withheld the test of severe international scrutiny. We are glad to note that India has not been given the Priority Country status as this could have had serious ramification on economic, political and trade sanctions”, according to FICCI secretary general Dr A Didar Singh.
“Indian IP law is TRIPS Compliant and more. Indian copyright law is one of the strongest and best in the world. India protected computer programmes by copyright much earlier than the US. The Indian Copyright Act 2012 law is in full conformity with international treaties of WIPO. The legislative and statutory measures are supplemented by appropriate administrative measures by the Governments both at the Centre and in the States for enforcement of IPRs; this includes Inter-Ministerial Committee on Enforcement of IPR laws, Copyright Enforcement Advisory Council (CEAC), Enforcement Cells, Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) and Automated Recording and Targeting System (ARTS) portal of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).”
The national IP strategy gives utmost importance to IPR Portfolios. Recent upgradation of the Intellectual Property Offices in accordance with the international standards has been one of the significant steps taken by the Indian government to make it more service oriented and user friendly.
With effect from 15 October 2013, Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has also started functioning as International Search Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority under PCT.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
