IP and the ICT Sector in India

India’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector and digital economy has played a significant role in accelerating and modernising India’s economic growth. The ICT sector contributes over 13 % to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while around $ 200 billion is annually generated by India’s digital economy from e-commerce, digital communication services, telecommunications, business process management (IT-BPM), digital payments and domestic electronics manufacturing, etc. India is the second largest telecom network in terms of subscribers and it is also the second largest manufacturer of mobile handsets in the world. The foreign direct investment in computer hardware and software reached up to 22.37 billion euros in 2020-21 in India. Initiatives by the Indian government, such as the ‘Digital India initiative’ with the aim to improve digital infrastructure and internet connectivity and transform India into a digitally empowered society, has the capacity to accelerate growth in the ICT sector and open further opportunities for EU SMEs. Activity in the ICT sector involves development of hardware, software, data, processes and information, which can be protected with IP rights. Therefore, EU SMEs must know that formulating a smart IP strategy is essential for success in India.