Domestic research in electronics not yielding enough patents

Indian manufacturers not coming up with electronic technology having global edge

The National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has said domestic research in electronics and its allied hardware was not yielding significant patents in the country.

“Domestic research in electronics was not encouraging and global majors have been flooding the market with products innovated outside the country,” said Rajendra Dobhal, chairman and managing director of NRDC.

At a time when the demand for electronic gadgets was booming, Indian manufacturers were not coming up with electronic technology having global edge, he added.

However, he expressed optimism that micro, small and medium enterprises in the country were coming up with frugal innovations in the agriculture sector that were being commercialised by it.

Last year, the research body was instrumental in awarding 10-15 active licences in the field of agriculture and agri biotechnology. The NRDC through its Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre (IPFC) in Karnataka has facilitated the commercialisation of Zeolite-A, which is used as an enzyme carrier in the manufacture of detergents. Zeolite-A is obtained from the industrial slag during the refining of bauxite, an ore of aluminium.

Dobhal also said it was taking a critical view in licensing technologies that hold immense public importance.

The body in the past had a bitter experience with the licensing of technology kit used for testing the adulteration of milk. Contrary to its expectation, “the private licence holder has not commercialised the technology for the public good,” said Dobhal.

Speaking at an industry meet here, SL Goswami, director of National Academy of Agriculture Research Management, said key agriculture technologies of public importance would continue to be passed free of cost to farmers in the country.