Piyush Goyal credits government initiatives for India's record patent filings
India just broke its own record with more than 143,000 patent applications filed in 2025-26, a big 30% jump from last year.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said this surge was driven by government initiatives, and that domestic innovators, especially from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
With nearly 70% of applications coming from within the country, it's clear that homegrown ideas are thriving.
India now 6th largest patent filer
Support like lower fees and faster reviews for startups, small entities, and educational institutions has helped drive this growth since 2016-17, when filings were less than one-half of today's number.
Thanks to a strong patent system under the Patents Act of 1970, India now ranks as the world's sixth-largest patent filer—showing real momentum in innovation.