WIPO and AIM Sign Joint Letter of Intent at NITI Aayog

A high-level delegation from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) comprising of Mr. Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director, WIPO Academy and Ms. Altaye Tedla, Head WIPO Academy visited NITI Aayog for signing of a Joint Letter of Intent (JLoI) between Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and WIPO. The JLoI is aimed at building programs for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property (IP) for countries in the Global South.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Cabinet Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in the Government of India graced the occasion with his presence. From NITI Aayog the dignitaries present included Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog, Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog, and Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Cabinet Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India said “I am very pleased to see that India’s innovation ecosystem is going global. Innovation is India’s strength. This pathbreaking partnership between AIM and WIPO will take the best of India’s innovation models to countries that are on similar development trajectories, and will enhance understanding and awareness about IPR right from the school-level and unlock the innovation potential of the world as well as foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Mr. Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director, WIPO Academy during his address said – "Intellectual property (IP) is a powerful catalyst for innovation and creativity, essential for addressing development of youth and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Our focus on youth is an integral part of our work to build a more inclusive global IP ecosystem, and our partnership with Atal Innovation Mission demonstrates WIPO’s commitment to ensure youth's participation in innovation and creativity so that IP ecosystems are utilized by a wider demographic, fostering a more innovative and creative global economy.”

Last year, Mr. Daren Tang, Director General, WIPO had visited the AIM ecosystem and advocated for Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) and Atal Incubation Centers (AIC) to be a good template for innovation and entrepreneurship through South-South cooperation. His observations prompted WIPO to invite Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director AIM to showcase these flagship initiatives earlier this year in front of the member nations at the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) at the WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The agreement signed today has transpired from these conversations.

Speaking at the occasion, Shri Suman Bery Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog said “WIPO's recognition of India's entrepreneurship development model is a proud moment for India and NITI Aayog which hosts the Mission. This deepens an already productive relationship between NITI Aayog and WIPO on national competitiveness”

As one of the specialized agency of the United Nations, WIPO is the nodal institution that releases the Global Innovation Index (GII) annually. As per the GII 2023 report, India had retained the 40th position of 132 economies featured in the GII ranking. As per WIPO Report 2022, India has experienced sixth straight year of growth in patent filing, posting the highest growth of 31.6% globally. Importantly, a substantial increase in resident filings was the main driver of growth overall in 2022.

Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog in his address underlined that, “In the last few years, India has made huge strides in its entrepreneurial journey in line with our international aspirations in this domain. This partnership between AIM and WIPO would help position India as a global leader in innovation, leveraging our vast talent pool and dynamic market to attract international investments. This partnership can be a game changer in fostering a culture of IP-led Innovation and hence safeguarding the future of our nation's technological advancements.”

Sharing his thoughts on the importance of this JLoI, Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission said, “It is our hope that the AIM-WIPO partnership will benefit many nations for whom models such as Atal Tinkering Labs and Atal Innovation Centres are needed to build their innovation ecosystems. The experience of the two sides coming together helps us make these models significantly more holistic as now Innovation & Entrepreneurship meets Intellectual Property (IP) in a serious way.”

The WIPO delegation is on a 4 day visit to India, and will take part in a workshop on Intellectual Property in Innovation organised at AIC GGSIPU, Dwarka, on 23^rd July. The delegates will also interact with school students from Atal Tinkering Labs and Industry Experts from FICCI, NASSCOM, PHDCCI among others during their visit.

Atal Innovation Mission is a flagship initiative by the NITI Aayog to create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across India.