{"id":836,"date":"2026-04-24T10:56:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/?p=836"},"modified":"2026-04-24T10:56:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:26:25","slug":"patent-licensing-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/patent-licensing-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Patent Licensing in India \u2014 Types, Procedure, Agreement Essentials, and Compulsory Licensing Explained (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A patent grants its owner the exclusive right to make, use, sell, and import a patented invention for a period of 20 years from the date of filing. But exclusive rights do not have to mean exclusive use. A patent owner can choose to share that monopoly \u2014 on carefully negotiated terms \u2014 through a patent licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Patent licensing is how most patented technology actually reaches the market. Pharmaceutical companies licence formulations to generic manufacturers. Tech companies licence standard-essential patents to device makers. Startups monetise inventions without manufacturing them. Universities transfer innovations to industry through research licence agreements. In every case, the legal mechanism is the same: a written agreement under which the patent owner permits another party to exercise some or all of the exclusive patent rights, in exchange for royalties or other consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide explains the complete framework for patent licensing in India \u2014 the statutory basis, the types of licence available, what a licence agreement must contain, how to register a licence with the Patent Office, and the compulsory licensing regime that applies when voluntary negotiation fails.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id836_b68f8b-65 .kb-table-of-content-wrap{padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id836_b68f8b-65 .kb-table-of-contents-title-wrap{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id836_b68f8b-65 .kb-table-of-contents-title{font-weight:regular;font-style:normal;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id836_b68f8b-65 .kb-table-of-content-wrap .kb-table-of-content-list{font-weight:regular;font-style:normal;margin-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;}<\/style>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Statutory Framework \u2014 What the Patents Act Says<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Patent licensing in India is governed by <strong>Chapter XVI of the Patents Act, 1970<\/strong> \u2014 specifically Sections 68 through 92 \u2014 which covers both voluntary licences granted by the patentee and compulsory licences granted by the Controller of Patents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The foundational provision is <strong>Section 68<\/strong>, which states that a patent licence or assignment must be in writing to be valid and effective. An oral licence agreement, however detailed the negotiation, has no legal effect under the Patents Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Section 69<\/strong> deals with registration of licences and assignments with the Patent Office. While registration is not strictly mandatory for the licence to be enforceable between the parties, an unregistered licence cannot be set up against a third party. Registration creates a public record that protects the licensee&#8217;s position if the patent is sold, assigned, or challenged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Section 70<\/strong> addresses the right of a licensee to take action for infringement. An exclusive licensee \u2014 one who holds a licence that excludes even the patentee from working the invention \u2014 has independent standing to sue for infringement without requiring the patentee to be a party to the suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of Patent Licence in India<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Exclusive Licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An exclusive licence grants the licensee sole rights to exploit the patent within a defined scope \u2014 territory, field of use, or time period. The patentee is contractually prevented from granting the same rights to any other party, and typically cannot work the patent themselves within that scope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Section 2(f) of the Patents Act, 1970<\/strong> defines an exclusive licence as one that confers on the licensee, or on the licensee and persons authorised by the licensee, the right to make, use, exercise, sell, or distribute the patented invention to the exclusion of all other persons, including the patentee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An exclusive licensee has statutory rights under Section 70 to bring infringement proceedings independently \u2014 a significant commercial advantage over non-exclusive licensees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Exclusive licences command higher royalties precisely because they give the licensee a protected commercial position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Non-Exclusive Licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The patentee grants rights to one or more licensees simultaneously, while retaining the ability to grant the same rights to additional parties and to work the patent themselves. The licensee has no exclusivity \u2014 any other party can obtain the same rights on the same or different terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Non-exclusive licences are common in technology cross-licensing, standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing, and situations where the patentee wants to maximize market penetration across multiple licensees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Royalty rates for non-exclusive licences are typically lower than for exclusive licences because the licensee is competing with other licensees and potentially with the patentee itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Sole Licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A middle ground between exclusive and non-exclusive: the patentee grants rights to one licensee and undertakes not to grant the same rights to any other third party \u2014 but retains the right to work the patent themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a sole licence, the patentee is the only person who can use the patent alongside the licensee. This is commercially useful where the patentee wants to maintain their own manufacturing operation while giving a single distribution partner protected market access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Sub-Licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A sub-licence is a licence granted by a licensee \u2014 rather than the original patentee \u2014 to a third party. The ability to sub-license must be expressly granted in the main licence agreement. Without an express sub-licensing right, the licensee cannot grant sub-licences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sub-licensing is common in complex technology ecosystems where a primary licensee needs to engage sub-contractors or distributors who will also work with the patented technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Compulsory Licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A compulsory licence is not a voluntary commercial arrangement \u2014 it is a statutory mechanism under <strong>Sections 84 through 92 of the Patents Act, 1970<\/strong> by which the Controller of Patents grants a third party the right to use a patented invention <strong>without the consent of the patent owner<\/strong>, subject to conditions including the payment of royalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compulsory licensing is discussed in detail below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Voluntary Licence \u2014 The Commercial Agreement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A voluntary licence is initiated by the patentee, who negotiates and grants exploitation rights to a licensee on mutually agreed terms. This is the standard commercial path for patent monetisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What a Patent Licence Agreement Must Contain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Since Section 68 requires the agreement to be in writing, a well-structured agreement is the foundation of every licensing transaction. The key elements are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Identification of the Patent<\/strong> The specific patent or patents being licensed must be identified by patent number, title of invention, date of grant, and class. If the licence covers a portfolio, each patent should be listed, ideally as a schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Grant of Rights<\/strong> Precisely what rights are granted: the right to make, use, sell, offer for sale, import, or export the patented invention. The grant clause should be unambiguous about what is included and what is reserved by the patentee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Exclusivity<\/strong> Whether the licence is exclusive, non-exclusive, or sole \u2014 and the precise scope of the exclusivity if exclusive (territory, field of use, duration).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Territory<\/strong> The geographic area within which the licensee may exercise the licensed rights. An Indian patent provides exclusive rights only in India \u2014 a licence may cover all of India, specific states, or specific commercial channels within India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Term<\/strong> The duration of the licence. A licence cannot extend beyond the remaining term of the patent (20 years from the filing date). The agreement should address renewal, termination, and what happens to rights and sub-licences on expiry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Royalties and Payments<\/strong> The financial consideration for the licence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Running royalties<\/strong> \u2014 a percentage of net sales revenue from products incorporating the patented invention, paid periodically (monthly, quarterly, or annually)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Upfront licence fees<\/strong> \u2014 a lump sum paid at the time of execution, which may or may not be offset against future running royalties<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Milestone payments<\/strong> \u2014 payments triggered by specific commercial events (first commercial sale, regulatory approval, market entry)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Minimum royalties<\/strong> \u2014 a floor ensuring the patentee receives a minimum payment regardless of the licensee&#8217;s actual sales, which protects against a licensee taking an exclusive licence and then failing to commercialise<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Reporting and Audit Rights<\/strong> The licensee should be required to maintain accurate records of sales and usage, provide periodic royalty reports, and permit the patentee (or their auditor) to inspect these records. Without audit rights, running royalty agreements are extremely difficult to enforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. Quality Standards and Working Obligation<\/strong> For product licences, the patentee may impose quality standards to protect the patent&#8217;s commercial reputation. Many licence agreements also include a working obligation \u2014 a requirement that the licensee actually commercialise the invention within a specified period, or risk the agreement being terminated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9. Improvements<\/strong> Who owns improvements made to the licensed technology? If the licensee makes improvements to the patented invention during the licence term, do they own those improvements independently, or does the patentee have a right to any improvement patents? This is a heavily negotiated clause with significant long-term commercial implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>10. Sub-Licensing<\/strong> Whether the licensee may grant sub-licences, to whom, and on what terms. If sub-licensing is permitted, the patentee typically requires approval rights over sub-licensees and the right to receive royalties on sub-licence income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>11. Infringement and Enforcement<\/strong> Who has the right (and obligation) to take action against third-party infringers? In an exclusive licence, the licensee has independent standing under Section 70 to bring infringement proceedings. The agreement should address how the parties co-operate in enforcement, how costs are shared, and who receives infringement damages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>12. Termination Provisions<\/strong> The circumstances in which either party can terminate \u2014 typically: breach of royalty payment obligations, breach of quality or working obligations, insolvency, challenge to the validity of the patent, or change of control of the licensee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution<\/strong> Indian governing law is standard for domestic licences. International licences may specify arbitration under institutional rules (ICC, SIAC, UNCITRAL) to avoid jurisdictional complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Registering the Licence \u2014 Section 69<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the licence agreement is executed, the licensee should apply to the Patent Office to have the licence recorded under <strong>Section 69 of the Patents Act, 1970<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Registration is made by filing the prescribed form with the Controller, along with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A copy of the licence agreement (or a certified extract)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The prescribed fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Proof of the parties&#8217; identities and authority to execute<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Once registered, the licence appears on the public patent register \u2014 notifying the world of the licensee&#8217;s rights. An unregistered licence can only be enforced between the licensor and licensee \u2014 it cannot be set up against a purchaser or assignee of the patent who has no notice of the licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The practical consequence: if a patentee grants a licence and then assigns the patent to a third party, an unregistered licensee may find that the new patent owner is not bound by the licence. Registration eliminates this risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Compulsory Licensing \u2014 When the Controller Steps In<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Compulsory licensing is the statutory mechanism under Chapter XVI of the Patents Act that allows the Controller to grant a licence to a third party <strong>without the patent owner&#8217;s consent<\/strong> when the patent is not serving the public interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Can a Compulsory Licence Be Applied For?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Under <strong>Section 84(1)<\/strong> of the Patents Act, 1970, any interested person may apply to the Controller for a compulsory licence <strong>after the expiration of three years from the date of grant of the patent<\/strong>, on any of the following grounds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The reasonable requirements of the public with respect to the patented invention have not been satisfied<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The patented invention is not available to the public at a reasonably affordable price<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The patented invention is not being worked in the territory of India<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Before filing the application<\/strong>, the applicant must have made efforts to obtain a voluntary licence from the patentee on reasonable terms and conditions \u2014 and those negotiations must have failed. The applicant must have spent at least <strong>six months<\/strong> in good faith negotiation before applying for a compulsory licence. Shortcuts through this requirement are not permitted \u2014 the Controller will dismiss applications where good faith negotiation was not genuinely attempted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Natco Pharma vs Bayer \u2014 India&#8217;s First Compulsory Licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The most significant compulsory licence granted in India \u2014 and one of the most important IP decisions in Indian legal history \u2014 is the grant in 2012 to Natco Pharma to manufacture the cancer drug Sorafenib Tosylate (brand name Nexavar), patented by Bayer Corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The facts were stark. Bayer&#8217;s drug was priced at approximately \u20b92.8 lakh per month in India. Natco Pharma had applied for a voluntary licence from Bayer \u2014 which Bayer refused to grant. Natco then applied for a compulsory licence under Section 84, arguing that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The drug was not available at a reasonably affordable price<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Public requirements with respect to the invention were not being satisfied<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The patented invention was not being worked in India (Bayer imported rather than manufactured domestically)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The Controller of Patents granted the compulsory licence. Natco was permitted to manufacture and sell Sorafenib at approximately \u20b98,800 per month \u2014 roughly 3% of Bayer&#8217;s price \u2014 subject to paying a royalty of 6% of net sales to Bayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) upheld the Controller&#8217;s decision on appeal. This case remains the definitive precedent on Section 84 in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Section 92 \u2014 Government Use in National Emergency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Under <strong>Section 92 of the Patents Act<\/strong>, the Central Government may, if satisfied that circumstances of national emergency, extreme urgency, or public non-commercial use exist, grant a compulsory licence by notification in the Official Gazette <strong>at any time after the sealing of the patent<\/strong> \u2014 without the three-year waiting period required under Section 84.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This provision came into sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, when governments worldwide debated using compulsory licensing to expand access to vaccines and treatments. In India, Section 92 was not invoked during the pandemic, but the provision remains relevant to any future public health crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Terms of Compulsory Licences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Controller sets the terms of a compulsory licence, including the royalty rate, the scope of permitted use, the territory, and the obligation to supply the market with adequate quantities. The royalty must be reasonable and adequate, taking into account the economic value of the licence. The TRIPS Agreement, to which India is a signatory, provides the international framework within which compulsory licences must be structured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cross-Licensing and Patent Pools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Two related commercial structures worth understanding alongside standard licensing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cross-licensing<\/strong> is an arrangement where two or more patent owners grant each other licences to their respective patents \u2014 typically without payment of royalties to each other. Cross-licensing is common in industries where every major player holds patents that may read on each other&#8217;s products (semiconductors, smartphones, telecommunications). It avoids expensive patent wars and allows each party to operate freely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patent pools<\/strong> are arrangements where multiple patent owners collectively licence their patents to third parties through a shared licensing body. A licensee pays a single fee to the pool and receives a licence to all the patents in the pool. Patent pools are used most extensively in standard-essential patents \u2014 the patents that read on technical standards like Wi-Fi, 4G\/LTE, and video codecs \u2014 and have become increasingly significant in India as domestic technology industries mature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: What is patent licensing in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Patent licensing in India is the process by which a patent owner (licensor) grants a third party (licensee) permission to make, use, sell, or import a patented invention, on terms set out in a written agreement. The licence may be exclusive, non-exclusive, or sole, and the licensee pays royalties or other consideration. Patent licensing is governed by Chapter XVI of the Patents Act, 1970, particularly Sections 68 to 92.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Does a patent licence agreement in India need to be in writing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Yes. Section 68 of the Patents Act, 1970 expressly requires that a patent licence must be in writing to be valid and effective. An oral licence or informal arrangement has no legal standing under the Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: What is the difference between a voluntary and compulsory patent licence in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: A voluntary licence is negotiated between the patentee and licensee on mutually agreed terms \u2014 the patentee actively chooses to grant the licence. A compulsory licence is granted by the Controller of Patents under Sections 84 to 92 of the Patents Act without the patent owner&#8217;s consent, in situations where the patent is not being used to serve the public interest, the invention is unaffordable, or negotiations for a voluntary licence have failed after six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: When can a compulsory licence be applied for in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Under Section 84 of the Patents Act, 1970, an application for a compulsory licence may be made after three years from the date of patent grant. The grounds are: the reasonable requirements of the public have not been satisfied; the invention is not available at a reasonably affordable price; or the invention is not being worked in India. The applicant must first make good-faith efforts to obtain a voluntary licence from the patentee for at least six months before applying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: What royalty rate applies to compulsory licences in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: There is no fixed statutory royalty rate for compulsory licences. The Controller determines a reasonable royalty based on the economic value of the licence, the public interest served, and the TRIPS Agreement framework. In the landmark Natco Pharma vs Bayer case, the Controller set a royalty of 6% of net sales on the compulsorily licensed cancer drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Should I register a patent licence with the Indian Patent Office?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Registration under Section 69 of the Patents Act is strongly recommended. An unregistered licence can only be enforced between the licensor and licensee \u2014 it cannot be set up against a third party (such as a new assignee of the patent) who has no notice of the licence. Registration creates a public record and protects the licensee if the patent changes hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Can a licensee sue for patent infringement in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A: An exclusive licensee has independent statutory standing to bring infringement proceedings under Section 70 of the Patents Act, 1970 \u2014 without requiring the patentee to be a party. A non-exclusive licensee does not have this independent right; they would need the patentee&#8217;s co-operation or joinder in any infringement suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Structuring a Patent Licence That Actually Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Patent licensing is one of the most commercially significant \u2014 and legally complex \u2014 transactions in intellectual property law. A poorly structured licence agreement can leave the patentee unable to enforce royalty payments, leave the licensee exposed to infringement claims from the patentee, create disputes over who owns improvements, or fail to survive a change of control in either business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At TMZON, IP consultation services cover patent licensing advisory \u2014 from structuring the commercial terms to reviewing or drafting licence agreements that hold up under Indian law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"\/consultation\">Book an IP Consultation \u2192 TMZON<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your IP question involves trademarks rather than patents, you can search the trade mark register and start your filing at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ipindia.gov.in\/search-existing-trademarks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IP India Trademark Search \u2192 IP India Existing Trademarks<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This article is written for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your patent licensing matter, please consult a qualified intellectual property attorney.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Written by Arya Sharma, Advocate, Bombay High Court | Trademark Attorney<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u00a9 2026 TMZON Corporate Services. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A patent grants its owner the exclusive right to make, use, sell, and import a patented invention for a period of 20 years from the date of filing. But exclusive rights do not have to mean exclusive use. A patent owner can choose to share that monopoly \u2014 on carefully negotiated terms \u2014 through a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-intellectual-property","category-startup-legal-basics","entry","has-media"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon.jpg",1280,720,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon.jpg",1280,720,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon.jpg",1280,720,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"large":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon.jpg",1280,720,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon.jpg",1280,720,false],"ocean-thumb-m":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon-600x600.jpg",600,600,true],"ocean-thumb-ml":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon-800x450.jpg",800,450,true],"ocean-thumb-l":["https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/patent-licensing-india-2026-tmzon-1200x700.jpg",1200,700,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"TMZON","author_link":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/author\/tmzon-19\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/category\/intellectual-property\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Intellectual Property<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/category\/startup-legal-basics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Startup Legal Basics<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"A patent grants its owner the exclusive right to make, use, sell, and import a patented invention for a period of 20 years from the date of filing. But exclusive rights do not have to mean exclusive use. A patent owner can choose to share that monopoly \u2014 on carefully negotiated terms \u2014 through a&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=836"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":837,"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836\/revisions\/837"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmzon.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}