INDIA AND RUSSIA SIGN PROTOCOL ON IPR TO SMOOTHEN SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION
India and Russia
signed here today a crucial protocol on the protection and the
uses of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in pursuance of an
agreement signed between the two sides in June 1994 on scientific
and technological cooperation. The protocol assumes greater significance
in the light of the Integrated Long-Term Programme of cooperation
(ILTP) on science and technology already having been extended
for another 10 years as well as the two sides agreeing to set
up a Joint Centre for technology transfer and commercialisation.
The protocol was signed between the Minister for Human Resource
Development and Science and Technology Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi
and the Russian Minister of Industry and Science and Technology
Dr. Ilya Klebanov, in the presence of the Prime Minister Shri
Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin,
who is currently on a visit to India.
In this era of globalisation
and inter-dependence, the protection of Intellectual Property
Rights has come to play a greater role. This protocol will save
as a lubricant to smoothen and quicken the phase of scientific
and technological cooperation an implementation of joint projects.
The two sides already having implemented nearly 200 projects in
the first phase of the ILTP, have identified another 200 and odd
projects to be taken up during the second phase. The protocol
will not only help create very favourable conditions for cooperation
but also develop the scientific relations between the two countries
on the basis of the principles of equality and mutual benefit.
The main objectives
of the protocol are, effective and proper acquisition, distribution,
protection, sharing or transferring of Intellectual Property Rights,
created in the process of joint activity. It also provides for
detailed procedures for securing intellectual property and facilitates
the scientists to draw up joint plan of evaluation and use of
results of the scientific and technological cooperation, settling
matters of protection and sharing to the intellectual property,
securing protection of confidential information, transfer of technologies
and compliance of the export control regulations procedure of
settling disputes and other matters in accordance with the protocol.
In case of sharing the rights and benefits in third countries
will be determined by the government or the participating scientists
on the terms and conditions mutually agreed upon, as spelt out
in the protocol. Financial, scientific, technological and other
contribution including preceding intellectual property would be
taken into account while sharing the IPR. The participating scientists
will provide for equitable inventors and authors remuneration
and differences if any, in respect of distribution of the rights
of intellectual property will be settled by mutual consultation
between them. If by any chance the dispute is not settled this
way, it would be referred to the authorities of the governments
i.e. the Department of Science and Technology from the Indian
side and the Ministry of Industry and Science and Technology on
the Russian side, for consideration.
In case of copyrights,
any dissemination or publication of the results, whether final
or interim of any joint scientific or technological research /
collaboration will be decided mutually by the participants / scientists.
