Acts / Laws and Their Amendments Related to IPR Enacted by India

• 1856 The Act on Protection of Invention based on the British Patent Law of 1852.
• 1858 The Act modified as Act XV; patent monopolies called exclusive priviledges (making, selling and using invention in India and authorising others to do so for 14 years from date of filing specification.
• 1872 The Patents and Designs Protection Act.
• 1883 The Protection of Invention Act.
• 1888 Consolidated as the Invention Designs Act.
• 1911 The Indian Patents & Designs Act (Under the management of the controller of Patents & Designs). This came into force from 15 August 1947.
• 1914 Copy of the British copyuright Act of 1911 with suitable modification for British India.
• 1957 Adopted many principles of the British copyright Act of
• 1958 This came into force to cope with new problems in the law of copyright created by technological advances in the fields of communication, broadcasting, microfilming, photolithography, movies cinemas and talkies.
• 1959 The Act of 1940 amended as the Indian Trade & Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 on 25 November 1959
• 1967 The Patent Bill introduced in Parliament
• 1970 The Indian patents Act, 1970. The Design Act of 1911 retained without changes
• 1972 The Patents Act (Act 39 of 1970) came into force on 20 April 1972.
• 1983 Amendments of availing the benefits arising from the revision of the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention to which India adheres.
• 1984 Amendments to discourage and prevent piracy prevailing in the video film and records
• 1992 Amendment to increase protection time to Author's lifetime 60 years.
• 1992 Amendment proposed for a "New Act" in line with internationally accepted norms. Debates continuing.
• 1994 On 31 December, 1994, Ordinance framed to amend the Patents Act, 1970, and the concept of exclusive marketing rights introduced as pipeline protection.
• 1994 Amendment to give effect to the obligation arising from the GATT. Copyright protection extended to new areas of creative work, including the computer industry. Special rights introduced to cover the per forming arts.
• 1999 The Patents (Amendment) Act, 1999. (17 of 1999)
• 2002 The Patents (Amendment) Act, 2002. (38 of 2002)
• 2005 The Patents (Amendment) Act, 2002. (15 of 2005)