THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 29,
2026
In a
significant move aimed at strengthening India’s intellectual property ecosystem
and boosting its global design competitiveness, the Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce &
Industry has released a Concept Note proposing comprehensive amendments to the
Designs Act, 2000. The proposed reforms are intended to modernise India’s
design protection framework and align it with global best practices,
reinforcing the country’s ambition to emerge as a hub for cutting-edge design
innovation.
Anchored
firmly in the Prime Minister’s vision of “Design in India, Design for the
World”, the proposed amendments seek to future-proof India’s design law against
rapid technological change, digital innovation and the rise of virtual and
immersive consumer experiences. A key feature of the reform agenda is the
proposal to extend statutory design protection to virtual designs, achieved
through substantive changes to the definitions of ‘article’ and ‘design’,
thereby acknowledging the growing economic value of digital and non-physical
products.
The Concept
Note also outlines a series of progressive measures aimed at making the design
registration process more flexible, business-friendly and globally compatible.
These include the introduction of a full 12-month grace period for disclosures,
an option to defer publication of registered designs for up to 30 months, and
provisions for timeline relief in line with international design law standards.
The proposal to introduce statutory damages and revise the term of design
protection is expected to strengthen enforcement and enhance the commercial
value of registered designs.
Further, the
reforms envisage enabling multiple design filings through a single application,
providing an option for division of applications, and incorporating several
other procedural and substantive changes to harmonise India’s law with
international frameworks. In this context, DPIIT has also proposed India’s
accession to the Riyadh Design Law Treaty and the Hague Agreement Concerning
the International Registration of Industrial Designs, a move that would
significantly simplify global design protection for Indian creators and
businesses.
While the
Concept Note provides a broad policy roadmap, DPIIT has invited comments and
suggestions from industry stakeholders, designers, legal experts and the public
to support informed deliberations and the detailed drafting of amendments. Once
implemented, the reforms are expected to enhance ease of doing business, attract
global design investments, and position India as a competitive player in the
international design economy.
