Global patent filings: Huawei alone has more claims than India’s dismal share at below 1%

Huawei, Mitsubishi Electric, Samsung and Qualcomm filed more international patent applications each than the whole of India in 2019, showed the latest data compiled by the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This reflects poorly on New Delhi’s innovation prowess and brings to the fore, yet again, its markedly poor spending on research and development (R&D).

India filed only 2,053 patents applications in 2019, accounting for fewer than 1% of the global filings (see chart). In contrast, Huawei alone filed 4,411 applications, followed by Mitsubishi Electric (2,661), Samsung (2,334) and Qualcomm (2,127).