The Patents Act, 1970 is the primary Indian legislation that deals with the protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in relation to inventions. It provides the legal framework for the granting of patents, rights of patentees, and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard intellectual innovations.
The Act came into force in 1972 and has been amended several times, notably in 1999, 2002, and 2005, to align India’s patent regime with the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement under the World Trade Organization (WTO). These amendments introduced significant changes such as product patent protection in all fields of technology including pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals.
Under the Patents Act:
- A patent can be granted for a new product or process that involves an inventive step and is capable of industrial application.
- The term of every patent granted is 20 years from the date of filing.
- The patentee enjoys exclusive rights to prevent third parties from making, using, selling, or importing the patented invention without consent.
Although several other legislations in India cover different aspects of IPR — such as the Copyright Act, the Trademarks Act, and the Designs Act — the Patents Act is the specific law that governs the protection of inventions and technological innovations.
Conclusion:
The correct answer is The Patents Act, which forms the backbone of patent law and intellectual property protection related to inventions in India.