Special 301 Points Delivered to India

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 000871 STATE PASS USTR DHS PASS MMDUDEK, DOC PASS AWILSON SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ECON KIPR IN SUBJECT: Special 301 Points Delivered to India REF: STATE 042799 ¶1. (SBU) Post delivered talking points contained in reftel to N.N. Prasad, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, on April 29, 2009. Econoffs, joined by USPTO representatives, notified Prasad that India would remain on the Priority Watch List in 2009 and acknowledged GOI's increased focus on IPR issues, especially its modernization of the patent system and improvement of border enforcement. Econoff also noted the possibility of an Out-Of-Cycle Review (OCR) should there be any significant developments related to IP legislation policy. ¶2. (SBU) Prasad said he was pleased that the demarche acknowledged India's advances on IPR and noted that he was not surprised by any of the points related to areas for improvement. He expressed his appreciation that the USG recognized the GOI's cooperative efforts with USPTO and was hopeful that India would continue to improve its IP protection and enforcement. Prasad also noted that he would be leaving his post at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to join the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva. He did not comment on who would replace him. BURLEIGH