An experienced officer from the US Patent and Trademark Office will join the US embassy in New Delhi for furthering US-India co-operation on IPR.
David Hopper, consul general, American Consulate, Chennai, said that the officer would work in the Embassy for few years.
This would be the second such appointment after the appointment of an officer in China a few years back.
He said the US was pleased with Indian government's initiatives on IPR protection and increasing its resources in enforcement authority.
Hopper stressed that the primary aspect of intellectual property rights protection was not just to recover the investments made by companies or earn more revenue by customs, but it was all about health, safety and welfare of the people.
Earlier, addressing the inaugural session of the seminar, he said that the US was in discussion with the Government of India on how to target the significant US technical assistance earmarked for India this year in order to help build capacity in stronger IPR protection.
"Regional arrangements could be used to promote and extend protection of IPR. However, bilateral negotiations are and will remain central to our efforts to improve IP standards worldwide," he added.
He pointed out that engagement by Indian companies in IPR as one of the most positive developments in recent years, because Indian IT, pharmaceutical, film and music companies themselves have major stakes in strong IPR enforcement.
Strong IPR protection was one of the essential ingredients for a strong services sector, he said.
The strong IPR protection across the board -- patents, trademark and copyright - had been a lynchpin in the success of the US services sector, he added.
Stating that American companies were excited about future prospects in India, both in terms of introduction of innovative products and the potential for research, he said one source of uncertainty was the lack of strong IP protection in the country.
"By initiating strong patent, copyright and trademark protection for all products produced through the 'intellectual process,' India will be well on the road to ensuring that it is a global player in innovative technology and that it enjoys a world class services sector in the 21st Century," he added.
