India’s Stand Against Data Exclusivity: Safeguarding the ‘Pharmacy of the World’

This move is consistent with India’s broader Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) framework, which seeks to balance the rewards for innovation with the requirements of public health. India’s Patents Act, particularly Section 3(d), already prevents 'evergreening' of patents. Data exclusivity is often viewed as a 'TRIPS-plus' measure—provisions that go beyond the requirements of the WTO’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. For a country often called the 'pharmacy of the world,' accepting DE would undermine its ability to export low-cost medicines to other developing nations, potentially triggering a global public health crisis. UPSC Relevance: This issue is a critical component of General Studies Paper III (Intellectual Property Rights) and Paper II (International Relations and Public Health). Aspirants should use this as a case study on how India balances trade interests with socio-economic obligations, particularly in the context of 'TRIPS-plus' pressures and the protection of the domestic pharmaceutical industry.