Research and Articles

Hotline

- Capital Markets Hotline
- Companies Act Series
- Climate Change Related Legal Issues
- Competition Law Hotline
- Corpsec Hotline
- Court Corner
- Cross Examination
- Deal Destination
- Debt Funding in India Series
- Dispute Resolution Hotline
- Education Sector Hotline
- FEMA Hotline
- Financial Service Update
- Food & Beverages Hotline
- Funds Hotline
- Gaming Law Wrap
- GIFT City Express
- Green Hotline
- HR Law Hotline
- iCe Hotline
- Insolvency and Bankruptcy Hotline
- International Trade Hotlines
- Investment Funds: Monthly Digest
- IP Hotline
- IP Lab
- Legal Update
- Lit Corner
- M&A Disputes Series
- M&A Hotline
- M&A Interactive
- Media Hotline
- New Publication
- Other Hotline
- Pharma & Healthcare Update
- Press Release
- Private Client Wrap
- Private Debt Hotline
- Private Equity Corner
- Real Estate Update
- Realty Check
- Regulatory Digest
- Regulatory Hotline
- Renewable Corner
- SEZ Hotline
- Social Sector Hotline
- Tax Hotline
- Technology & Tax Series
- Technology Law Analysis
- Telecom Hotline
- The Startups Series
- White Collar and Investigations Practice
- Yes, Governance Matters.
- Japan Desk ジャパンデスク
Pharma & Healthcare Update
August 4, 2025India–UK FTA May Boost Pharma Exports
This article was first published in bwlegalworld.com (August, 01, 2025).
The recently signed India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is being welcomed by the pharmaceutical industry in India for protecting provisions in the Patent Act, 1970 and increasing export opportunities. However, experts fear that the agreement may weaken India’s safeguards on compulsory licensing and tilt the balance toward big pharmaceutical companies.
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the CETA does not mandate provisions that extend patent terms or introduce data exclusivity. These are the two common tools used to prolong monopoly rights over drugs beyond the original patent period. This is seen as a major win for India’s USD 25 billion generic drug industry, which exports about half of its output globally. The ministry said that Section 3(d) of the Patent Act remains intact and fully protected.
Section 3(d) prohibits companies from extending their patent monopoly by making minor modifications to existing drugs (like changing the form, dosage or salt composition) and claiming them as new inventions, unless they show a significant improvement in therapeutic efficacy.
Please click here for our detailed article.
Authors
- Priyadarsini S, Abhay Porwal and Tanya Kukade
You can direct your queries or comments to the relevant member.