India not to change stance on intellectual property rights

India will strictly stick to domestic law and its current international commitments on intellectual property rights at the Doha Round of world trade negotiations, especially in the context of pharmaceutical products.

This was decided at a meeting of the Trade and Economic Relations Committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, today.

The prime minister has directed trade negotiators that the Indian side should not take on any obligation beyond the current Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Indian laws governing intellectual property rights.

"It was observed that concern has been raised by various quarters about the Indian stand on issues on intellectual property rights, especially in the context of the Indian pharmaceutical products," according to an official statement.

"The prime minister firmly directed that the Indian side shall not take on any obligation beyond the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights agreement and domestic law," the statement added.

The Trade and Economic Relations Committee, at its 17th meeting, also reviewed the status of the India-European Union bilateral trade and investment agreement and discussed the various issues involved in the negotiations.