The Geography of Patenting In India: Patterns and Determinants

This study examines the regional profiles of patenting activities in India. The number of most dynamic sub-national spaces in patent applications is found to be limited to just two to three regions or states. Regionally, West India, North India and South India mostly dominated the patenting activities during 1990‒2010. The patent performance is highly concentrated among individual states: the two leading states, namely Maharashtra and Delhi accounted for more than half of total patent applications filed in India in the study period. Empirical analysis further emphasized that states patenting activities are shaped by the size of local markets, availability of skilled labour force, knowledge institutions and urban centres.