To enhance Industrial competitiveness Intellectual property rights (IPR) are evolving as strategic tools. In all spheres of business. Intellectual property (IP) refers to notions or ideas pertaining to intellect. IPRs include patents, copyright, Industrial design rights, trademarks, trade dress, and others. IPR plays a very important role in nearly every segment and has become a central feature for decisions pertaining to investment for many establishments. In defence manufacturing, IPR comprises innovations (patent protected), manufacturing designs and origins of technology. It affords protection for investments in developing new technology and ways to finance research and development events. The purpose of IPR is to protect investments in the expansion of new technology, thus giving boost and resources to activities related to finance research and development.
A number of ordnance factories, defence PSUs and even individual officials of these organizations have carried out innovative research leading to the development of certain materials, components/sub-assemblies/assemblies for performance upgrade of the existing systems/ platforms. Simultaneously, they have reduced India's dependence on imports. Such innovations may be treated as intellectual properties and need to be protected by way of filing of patents. Some organizations and individuals have made
their own isolated efforts. There is a need for a structured mechanism to facilitate and encourage such activities with a primary objective to "Boost IP culture." This would emphasize the importance of intellectual capital and encourage in-houseR&D in such organizations.
Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti was started in 2018 and it is aimed at inculcating IP culture in Indian defence manufacturing ecosystem. In this mission, an Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell (IPFC) has been constituted under the sponsorship of DGQA.
The Cell trains people from public/ private sector on IPR and enables filing of new IPR applications. The Action Plan 2019-20 aims to establish a structure which allows full deployment of novel ideas and innovation for achieving self-dependence in the defence sector.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the IPFC and National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Ministry of Science and Technology to promote a culture of novelty and IPR in the defence industry.
