The term ‘Intellectual Property’ (IP) reflects the idea that its subject matter is the product of the mind or the intellect. Intellectual property rights help in providing exclusive rights to creator or inventor, thereby induces them to distribute and share information and data instead of keeping it confidential. It provides legal protection and offers them incentive of their work. Rights granted under the intellectual property act helps in socio and economic development.

India has defined the establishment of statutory, administrative and judicial framework for protecting the intellectual property rights in the Indian territory, whether they connotes with the copyright, patent, trademark, industrial designs or with other parts.

Tuning with the changing industrial world, the intellectual property rights have continued to strengthen its position in the India. In 1999, the government has passed the important legislation in relation to the protection of intellectual property rights on the terms of the worldwide practices and in accordance to the India’s obligations under the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights including The Patents (Amendment) Act, 1999 amending the Patents Act of 1970, The Trade Marks Act, 1999 replacing the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958, The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2000, The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999, The Industrial Designs Act, 2000 replacing the Designs Act, 1911, The Patents (Second Amendment) Act, 1999 further amending the Patents Act 1970 and making it compliance with the TRIPS. 

Along with the above legislative measures, the Indian government has introduced several changes for streamlining and bolstering the intellectual property administration system in the nation. Several projects concerning to the modernizing of the patent information services and trademark registry have been    undergone with the help of the World Intellectual Property Organization / United Nations Development Programme. 

In this book, we have broadly covered the legislations in relation to the protection of intellectual property rights referred above apart from the International instruments concerning  intellectual property rights. This book provides a short cut to the students of the 5 year law degree course to enable them to get a broad understanding of the topics that would be covered under the revised syllabus with effect from the academic year 2009-2010. 

We owe our gratitude to Mr. D. Durga Prasad, LL.B, FCS, for his personal attention, inputs and technical support. Our thanks are also due to Dr. K. Anila, M.S., Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry), for her technical inputs and guidance in revising this book.