India wants text-based talks on IPR waiver proposal

India stated at a TRIPS informal meeting, that members of the World Trade Organization must start text-based negotiations on the proposed patent waiver proposal, even if few members continue to delay the process. Recently, 62 nations have supported the proposal, including India, South Africa, and Indonesia, seeking IPR waivers to manufacture COVID-19-related medical products.

“The virus has not given us a timeout to go on endlessly discussing the need for or benefit of a waiver. We must rather infuse some certainty in these uncertain times by agreeing to start text-based negotiations on the waiver proposal,” India asserted. “We as cosponsors of the waiver proposal recognize that IPs are not the only barrier to augmenting manufacturing and addressing supply-side constraints. However, we do believe that IPs are the biggest barrier in addressing supply-side constraints, and thus need to be addressed on priority. The waiver is not sufficient, but rather a necessary element of a multipronged strategy,” it added.