The Patents Act, 1970 was amended in 1999, 2002 and finally in 2005 to provide for product patents in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and agro-chemicals and bring in other necessary amendments in line with Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Patents Rules have been commensurately amended, initially as Patent Rules, 2003, which were further amended in 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. India became signatory to Patent
Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in 1998. Consequently, patent filing in India, including National Phase
applications under PCT, has increased exponentially. Indian Patent Office is a major PCT filing
country and also functions as ISA/IPEA under PCT.