Syngenta Participations AG v. Controller of Patents and Designs

In its decision of 4 May 2026, the Delhi High Court set aside the Indian Patent Office’s refusal of Syngenta’s patent application for a crystalline monohydrate polymorph used in agrochemical formulations. The dispute centred on whether the claimed invention demonstrated an inventive step and enhanced efficacy under Section 3(d) of the Patents Act. The Court held that the Patent Office had failed to properly assess the scientific evidence, rejected the assumption that thermal stability is an inherent property of monohydrate polymorphs, and clarified that the concept of enhanced efficacy for agrochemical inventions must be assessed based on their practical utility rather than the pharmaceutical standard established in Novartis AG v. Union of India. In light of these findings, the matter has been remanded to the Patent Office for fresh consideration.

Read the full article below for a detailed analysis of the Court’s reasoning and its implications for agrochemical patent protection in India.