India: Design (Amendment) Rules, 2021
January 25, 2021
India: The Design (Amendment) Rules, 2021 entered into force on January 25, 2021.
The Rules provide, inter alia, for the following amendments to the Designs Rules, 2001:
(i) Adopting the Locarno Classification of products for industrial design applications in India, following the entry into force of the Locarno Agreement by India on September 7, 2019;
(ii) Recognizing startups as a separate category of applicants for the purpose of filing industrial design applications; and
(iii) Establishing the new structure of fees for large entities who pay full fees, and fees for individuals, small entities, and startups eligible for up to a 75% reduction in official fees.