Doing some tough-speaking, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the US Special 301 report on IPR is a ‘unilateral’ move and no country has any right to interfere in the sovereign position of other nation. These remarks assume significance as the US continues to put India on its 'priority watch list' for intellectual property rights (IPR) through its Special 301 report that was released last month.
It was alleged that India's IPR regime is not in compliance with global norms, a charge India strongly contests at all forums. “let me be very clear that the Special 301 report is a unilateral report which the US produces. Actually speaking, no country has any right to interfere in the sovereign position of another nation or to inspect, oversee or put it under watch,” Sitharaman told PTI.
Asked about her views on whether the US would consider the new National IPR policy, announced by India, in preparing the next report, she said the decision which the US may take ‘does not worry me at all’.