India, April 20 -- India's Patent Paradox 

India emerged as the world's sixth-largest patent filer in FY26. While commerce minister Piyush Goyal was quick to hail this surge as a reinforcement of the country's innovation ambitions, a stark disconnect seems to be beneath all these record numbers.

The Patent Chasm: Indians filed a record 1.43 Lakh patent applications in FY26, up 30% YoY. However, the number of patents granted dropped 36% YoY to 21,439. Interestingly, startups, the supposed engine of disruption, saw a mere 649 approvals. 

The Stumbling Block: A primary culprit is the complex interpretation of Section 3(k) of the Indian Patent Act. By excluding algorithms and computer programs 'per se', the law often leaves softw...