BRICS IP Heads adopt new cooperation guidelines in New Delhi

The 18th Meeting of the Heads of Intellectual Property Offices of BRICS countries was held in New Delhi from September 1 to 3, 2026. Hosted by India’s Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, the meeting included approximately 35 delegates participating both in person and virtually, with representatives from Russia, Iran, and Ethiopia joining online.

A major outcome of the summit was the adoption of updated operational guidelines designed to foster result-oriented cooperation, promote cross-border innovation, and strengthen joint efforts in establishing global intellectual property standards. Participants also recognized the importance of protecting traditional knowledge and traditional medicine systems as shared cultural and intellectual heritage.

Deliberations included progress on a study regarding reinforced patent examination cooperation aimed at streamlining processes and reducing backlogs. The meeting also concluded discussions on several new initiatives, such as the BRICS Intellectual Property Awareness Series, an IP BRICS FinTech Innovation Monitor, and the BRICS Industrial Property Commercialisation Forum.