You can patent an invention, not an idea: it must be new, involve an inventive step and be capable of industrial application, and section 3 of the Patents Act lists what is excluded. File on IP India's e-filing system: Form 1 with a provisional specification in Form 2 to lock the date, the complete specification within 12 months, then a request for examination, which for applications filed since 15 March 2024 must come within 31 months. A startup, individual or small entity pays Rs 1,600 to file and Rs 4,000 for examination, or Rs 8,000 for expedited examination, which startups can ask for on Form 18A; a large company pays Rs 8,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 60,000. Claim the lower rate with Form 28. A patent agent's drafting fee comes on top and is usually most of the bill. Many software products are better protected by shipping fast than by a patent.
Part of Patents and copyright on eChai Explore.
7 resources, 7 link-checked.
The Patent Office's statement of what can be patented: an invention that is novel, has an inventive step, is capable of industrial application and is not excluded by section 3.
From ipindia.gov.in by Office of the CGPDTM
The statutory patent fee schedule, with a column for natural persons, startups, small entities and educational institutions and one for everyone else.
From ipindia.gov.in by Office of the CGPDTM
The Patent Office's own description of filing: Form 1 with Form 2 as a provisional or complete specification, the complete specification within 12 months of a provisional, and examination only on a Form 18 or 18A request.
From ipindia.gov.in by Office of the CGPDTM
A guide to when each patent fee falls due, including the request for examination deadline cut to 31 months for applications filed on or after 15 March 2024.
From intepat.com by Intepat
What a DPIIT startup pays in statutory IP fees today, and the note that the SIPP professional-fee scheme expired on 31 March 2026 while the startup fee rates in the Rules continue.
From intepat.com by Intepat
The official explainer of the concrete money DPIIT-recognised startups get on IP, an 80% patent-fee rebate, 50% trademark-fee rebate, and government-paid facilitators. This is the single best reason to get DPIIT recognition early if you'll file anything, and it comes straight from the source, not a paid-service blog.
From Government of India (startupindia.gov.in) by DPIIT / Startup India ~10 min read
The single primary source for all Indian IP filing and search, patents, trademarks, designs, and links to copyright. Skip the blogspam middlemen: this is where you actually search existing marks, e-file, and track applications, straight from the Controller General's office.
From Government of India (ipindia.gov.in) by Office of the CGPDTM portal
The same ground, over in Get legal & compliant, our D2C track.
How founders actually use AI for this, over in Legal & Contracts.
The same ground, over in Build the team, our GTM track.
