A rise in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) applications linked to India’s biological resources has been recorded by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), indicating increased activity at the intersection of biodiversity, research, and industry.
The upward trend follows the implementation of the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023, which revised the regulatory framework governing access to biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.
Under the amended provisions, applicants covered under Section 7 of the Act are required to obtain a Certificate of Registration (CoR) from the NBA before applying for IPR, including patents, based on biological resources sourced from India. The requirement has strengthened compliance and introduced greater transparency and accountability in the IPR process.
The revised system has also simplified procedures, introducing defined approval pathways and moving towards a registration-based mechanism. Between April 2024 and March 2025, the NBA received 857 IPR applications and issued 792 CoRs for eligible cases.
In the following period from April 2025 to March 2026, applications increased to 1,077, with 885 CoRs issued, reflecting continued growth in filings and improved processing timelines.
Applications were received from sectors such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food sciences, biochemistry, agrochemicals, polymer technology, microbiology, biomedical engineering, and textiles, indicating wider adoption of the regulatory system across research-driven industries.
The amended framework mandates prior registration for IPR linked to biological resources while simplifying approvals, aiming to balance innovation with conservation and ensure equitable benefit sharing.
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