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IPR Policy expected to speed up clearances
NEW DELHI: Trademark pendency, which is at three months, is expected to come down further to one month by March 2017 following the shifting of the Intellectual Rights Property portfolio to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.
Trademarks filing increased by around 10 per cent and Trademark examination increased by around 250 per cent during FY16 till November as compared to FY15.
A comprehensive National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy was adopted for the first time in May 2016 to lay future roadmap for intellectual property. The aim was to improve Indian intellectual property ecosystem, hoping to create an innovation movement in the country and aspires towards “Creative India; Innovative India.”
This becomes relevant in view of the large number of cases pending in courts on copyright and the emergence of newer vehicles where software can be used, including smartphones and OTT.
The objectives of this policy are to increase IPR awareness; stimulate generation of IPRs; have strong and effective IPR laws; modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR administration; get value for IPRs through commercialisation; strengthen enforcement and adjudicatory mechanisms for combating IPR infringements; and to strengthen and expand human resources, institutions and capacities for teaching, training, research and skill building in IPRs.
Subsequently, a Cell for Intellectual Property Rights Promotion and Management (CIPAM) has been created as a professional body which will be working under the aegis of DIPP for addressing seven identified objectives of the Policy.
During 2016, India signed memorandums of understanding in the field of Intellectual Property signed with U.K, Singapore and the European Union. An India-US Workshop was held on Protection of Trade Secrets organized by CIPAM.
DIPP Secretary Rajiv Aggarwal had recently said India’s IP framework was in the midst of a paradigm shift following the announcement of the National IPR Policy.
Aggarwal said while the Department was spearheading the overall policy, specific recommendations listed in the policy were being taken up for action by concerned ministries and departments.
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eNews
PNB partners Kiwi to launch credit-enabled UPI for users
Targets 180 million customers; RuPay card offers 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent cashback
MUMBAI: Swipe, tap, or scan credit is quietly slipping into the rhythm of everyday payments, and Punjab National Bank wants in on the action. The state-run lender has partnered with Kiwi to roll out credit-enabled UPI payments for its 180 million customers, marking a significant push to blend traditional banking with India’s fast-evolving digital payments ecosystem.
At the centre of the collaboration is the launch of the PNB Kiwi Credit Card on the RuPay network. The card is designed with a digital-first approach, offering fully online onboarding and seamless integration with UPI, allowing users to transact via scan-and-pay while accessing credit.
The offering also brings in a rewards layer, with cashback ranging from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent on online transactions, positioning the product as both a convenience play and a spending incentive.
The move comes as UPI continues to dominate India’s digital payments landscape, increasingly blurring the lines between debit-led transactions and credit access. For PNB, which operates over 10,000 branches around 60 per cent in semi-urban and rural areas, the partnership signals a targeted effort to extend formal credit to segments that have traditionally remained underserved.
The collaboration also reflects a broader industry shift, where banks and fintech platforms are converging to embed credit directly into payment flows, reducing friction while expanding access.
With RuPay credit cards gaining traction and UPI evolving beyond peer-to-peer transfers, the PNB–Kiwi tie-up positions both players at the intersection of scale, accessibility, and the next phase of digital finance in India.
