Laws relating to Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)

Intellectual property(IP) is the creation of human intellect. It refers to the ideas, knowledge, invention, innovation, creativity, research etc, all being the product of human mind and is similar to any property, whether movable or immovable, wherein the proprietor or the owner may exclusively use his property at will and has the right to prevent others from using it, without his permission. The rights relating to intellectual property are known as 'Intellectual Property Rights'.
Intellectual Property Rights, by providing exclusive rights to the inventor or creator, encourages more and more people to invest time, efforts and money in such innovations and creations. Intellectual property rights are customarily divided into two main areas:-

• Copyright and rights related to copyright:- the rights of authors of literary and artistic works (such as books and other writings, musical compositions, paintings, sculpture, computer programs and films) are protected by copyright. Also, protection is granted to related or neighbouring rights like the rights of performers (e.g. actors, singers and musicians), producers of phonograms (sound recordings) and broadcasting organizations.
• Industrial property, which is divided into two main areas:-
  
  
  • One area can be characterized as the protection of distinctive signs, in particular trademarks (which distinguish the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other undertakings) and geographical indications (which identify a good as originating in a place where a given characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin).
  • Other types of industrial property are protected primarily to stimulate innovation, design and the creation of technology. This category includes inventions (protected by patents), industrial designs and trade secrets.
    

The issue of Intellectual Property Rights was brought on an international platform of negotiation by World Trade Organization (WTO) through its Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). This agreement narrowed down the differences existing in the extent of protection and enforcement of the Intellectual Property rights (IPRs) around the world by bringing them under a common minimum internationally agreed trade standards. The member countries are required to abide by these standards within stipulated time-frame. India, being a signatory of TRIPS has evolved an elaborate administrative and legislative framework for protection of its intellectual property.