Ayush Patent Filings Rise Eightfold as India Records 4,077 Applications and 711 Grants in 12 Years

India’s traditional medicine sector has recorded substantial growth in research, innovation and intellectual property protection, with 4,077 patent applications filed and 711 patents granted between FY 2014–15 and FY 2025–26. The findings highlight the expanding participation of researchers, universities, individual innovators, startups and industries in developing new technologies associated with Ayurveda and other Ayush systems.

The figures were published in the Status Report on Ayush Related Inventions in India (2014–2026), released during the 11th Ayurveda Day celebrations in September 2026. The report was prepared by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

According to an official government announcement issued on October 16, 2026, annual Ayush-related patent filings increased from 63 in FY 2014–15 to 590 in FY 2025–26, representing growth of approximately 836.5 per cent. The expansion reflects growing interest in protecting inventions associated with India’s traditional healthcare systems through the country’s intellectual property framework.

Ayush Patent Filings Increase from 63 to 590 Annually

The CGPDTM report documents a significant increase in patent applications involving Ayush-related inventions over the 12-year assessment period.

Annual filings increased from 63 applications in FY 2014–15 to 590 applications in FY 2025–26. This represents an increase of more than nine times the original annual filing volume, equivalent to approximately 836.5 per cent growth.

The highest annual filing volume during the period occurred in FY 2022–23, when applicants submitted 606 patent applications. Filings subsequently declined to 299 in FY 2023–24 before recovering to 590 by FY 2025–26.

The recovery demonstrates the continued interest of researchers, entrepreneurs and institutions in protecting intellectual property associated with traditional healthcare technologies.

Patent applications serve as an important indicator of innovation activity because they document efforts to obtain legal protection for inventions that satisfy the applicable requirements of patent law.

The growth in filings indicates greater participation in the formal intellectual property system, although the number of applications alone does not establish the scientific effectiveness or commercial success of the underlying inventions.

India Grants 711 Patents for Ayush-Related Inventions

The report also identifies substantial growth in the number of patents granted for Ayush-related inventions.

Between FY 2014–15 and FY 2025–26, India’s patent authorities granted 711 patents in the sector. Annual grants increased from three in FY 2015–16 to 204 in FY 2023–24.

The increase reflects a growing volume of inventions progressing through the patent examination and grant process.

Patents provide legal protection for qualifying inventions that meet statutory requirements, including novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability.

Within the Ayush sector, intellectual property protection can support the development of new products, technologies and processes while encouraging investment in research and innovation.

India’s patent framework also contains provisions intended to prevent inappropriate monopolisation of traditional knowledge. This distinction helps protect existing knowledge while allowing genuinely new and eligible inventions to receive intellectual property protection.

The expansion of patent grants demonstrates the increasing engagement of Ayush innovators with India’s formal system of intellectual property examination and protection.

Post-COVID Period Accounts for 70 Per Cent of Ayush Patent Applications

One of the most significant findings of the report concerns the acceleration of Ayush-related innovation during the period following the emergence of COVID-19.

Between FY 2020–21 and FY 2025–26, applicants filed 2,854 patent applications, accounting for approximately 70 per cent of all Ayush-related filings recorded during the 12-year period.

By comparison, the preceding six financial years, from FY 2014–15 to FY 2019–20, accounted for 1,223 applications.

The difference illustrates a substantial increase in patenting activity during the later period.

The trend was even more pronounced in patent grants. Between FY 2020–21 and FY 2025–26, authorities granted 657 patents, representing approximately 92.4 per cent of all Ayush-related patents granted during the full assessment period.

These figures establish that most of the recorded patenting activity occurred during the six financial years beginning in FY 2020–21.

The increase also highlights the growing participation of inventors and research institutions in formal intellectual property protection within the traditional healthcare sector.

Individual Innovators Lead Ayush Patent Applications

The report identifies individual inventors as the largest category of applicants for Ayush-related patents.

Natural persons filed 2,113 patent applications, accounting for approximately 51.9 per cent of total applications during the assessment period. They also received 398 patent grants, representing the largest share among the applicant categories.

The figures demonstrate that individual innovators continue to make a substantial contribution to the development of Ayush-related inventions.

Individual participation is particularly relevant in a sector that draws upon extensive traditional knowledge alongside contemporary research and technological development.

The growing use of patent protection provides inventors with a formal mechanism for documenting qualifying inventions and seeking recognition of their intellectual property.

The report’s findings demonstrate that innovation within India’s traditional medicine sector extends beyond large research institutions and established pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Universities and Educational Institutions File 995 Patent Applications

Educational institutions emerged as the second-largest category of applicants in the CGPDTM report.

Universities, colleges and other educational institutions accounted for 995 patent applications and 88 patent grants between FY 2014–15 and FY 2025–26.

Together, individual inventors and educational institutions contributed approximately 76.3 per cent of total Ayush-related patent filings.

This high level of participation indicates the important role of academic research and individual innovation in the development of intellectual property associated with traditional healthcare.

Educational institutions can contribute to this ecosystem through research programmes, laboratory investigations, interdisciplinary collaboration and technology development.

Patent protection can also create opportunities for research institutions to pursue technology transfer and partnerships with manufacturers interested in developing commercially viable products.

The participation of universities and academic researchers supports the broader integration of traditional medical knowledge with contemporary scientific and technological research.

Corporate Enterprises and Startups Expand Participation in Ayush Innovation

The report also documents growing participation from companies, smaller enterprises and startups in Ayush-related patenting.

Corporate and other entities accounted for 700 patent applications and 176 patent grants during the assessment period.

Small entities contributed 144 applications, while startups accounted for another 125 filings.

These figures highlight the expanding involvement of entrepreneurial and commercial organisations in the Ayush innovation ecosystem.

Businesses can contribute manufacturing capabilities, product development expertise and investment resources required to translate research into practical technologies.

Startups, meanwhile, provide opportunities for specialised innovation and collaboration with academic institutions, researchers and established manufacturers.

The inclusion of these applicant categories demonstrates the increasing diversity of organisations participating in India’s traditional healthcare innovation sector.

The growing presence of enterprises alongside individual researchers and educational institutions can support stronger connections between research, intellectual property protection and industrial development.

Government Strengthens Intellectual Property Framework for Ayush Inventions

The increasing number of patent applications reflects the importance of an intellectual property framework capable of evaluating inventions while protecting India’s traditional knowledge.

The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks has developed dedicated guidance for examining Ayush-related patent applications.

The Guidelines for Examination of Ayush Related Inventions–2025, available through the Intellectual Property India portal, provide technical guidance for assessing patent applications associated with traditional systems of medicine.

India’s Patents Act contains specific provisions relevant to traditional knowledge. Section 3(p) excludes inventions that are, in effect, traditional knowledge or an aggregation or duplication of known properties of traditionally known components.

These safeguards help prevent the inappropriate patenting of existing traditional knowledge while allowing eligible technological innovations to undergo examination under established patentability requirements.

The framework is particularly important for India because of its extensive heritage of medicinal plants, traditional formulations and healthcare practices developed over generations.

A balanced system of intellectual property protection can encourage innovation while preserving the public interest associated with traditional knowledge.

Maharashtra Leads India in Ayush Patent Activity

The CGPDTM report identifies Maharashtra as the leading state in Ayush-related patent activity during the assessment period.

According to the official government announcement, Maharashtra recorded 744 patent applications and 142 patent grants, placing it ahead of other states in the report’s geographical assessment.

The figures demonstrate Maharashtra’s substantial contribution to research and intellectual property activity associated with Ayush inventions.

Geographical analysis of patent applications can provide useful insights into the distribution of innovation activity across the country.

Such information can also assist policymakers and research institutions in understanding regional participation in patenting and identifying opportunities to strengthen innovation ecosystems.

The inclusion of state-level findings adds an important dimension to the report by documenting how Ayush-related intellectual property activity is distributed across India.

Ayurveda Day 2026 Highlights Research and Innovation

The Status Report on Ayush Related Inventions in India was released during the 11th Ayurveda Day celebrations held in Nagpur on September 23, 2026.

The national programme was organised under the theme “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow”, with a focus on evidence, research, innovation and community well-being.

The event brought together policymakers, practitioners, scientists, researchers, academics and representatives of Ayush institutions to discuss the future development of traditional healthcare.

Several knowledge resources and initiatives were launched during the celebrations, including the Ayush Vision 2030 report, safety dossiers on selected medicinal plants and standard treatment guidelines for skin disorders.

The programme also featured the launch of the CCRAS–AGNI Assessment Scale Web Portal, supporting the systematic documentation and evaluation of innovations associated with Ayurveda.

The patent status report contributed to this broader emphasis on strengthening the research and innovation foundations of India’s traditional healthcare systems.

Intellectual Property Protection Supports India’s Ayush Research Ecosystem

The growth in patent filings provides an important indication of increasing research and innovation activity in India’s traditional healthcare sector.

Patent documentation can help establish ownership of eligible inventions, encourage technological development and support cooperation between researchers and manufacturers.

For educational institutions, intellectual property protection offers opportunities to develop structured research programmes and pursue technology transfer.

For startups and established businesses, patents can contribute to product development strategies and strengthen commercial partnerships.

The participation of individual inventors, universities and corporate enterprises also demonstrates the potential for collaboration across different parts of the innovation ecosystem.

As research activity expands, the combination of scientific evaluation, intellectual property protection and appropriate regulatory oversight will remain important for translating inventions into reliable products and technologies.

India Builds a Stronger Future for Ayush Research and Innovation

The findings of the CGPDTM report demonstrate the significant expansion of India’s Ayush-related intellectual property ecosystem over the past 12 financial years.

With 4,077 patent applications, 711 granted patents and an increase of approximately 836.5 per cent in annual filings, the sector has recorded substantial growth in formal innovation activity.

The strong contribution of individual inventors and educational institutions highlights the importance of research and knowledge development, while increasing participation from companies and startups reflects the expanding commercial dimensions of Ayush innovation.

The acceleration recorded during the post-COVID period further demonstrates the growing engagement of researchers and innovators with the intellectual property system.

India’s efforts to combine traditional medical knowledge with contemporary research, intellectual property protection and technological development are creating new opportunities for innovation across the Ayush sector.

The continued participation of researchers, institutions and enterprises will strengthen India’s capacity to develop evidence-based technologies, protect eligible inventions and expand its contribution to the global traditional healthcare innovation ecosystem.

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References

1. Press Information Bureau, Government of India

Ayush Innovation Sees Eightfold Rise in Patent Filings.

Published: 16 October 2026, 2:33 PM IST.

Official government release presenting the findings of the Status Report on Ayush Related Inventions in India (2014–2026), including patent applications, grants, applicant categories and geographical distribution.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2324293

2. Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, DPIIT

Status Report on Ayush Related Inventions in India (2014–2026).

Official report released during the 11th Ayurveda Day celebrations in September 2026.

Official institution: https://ipindia.gov.in/

3. Intellectual Property India — Office of CGPDTM

Guidelines for Examination of Ayush Related Inventions–2025.

Official technical guidance for patent examination concerning Ayush-related inventions.

https://www.ipindia.gov.in/resource/patents-resources-guidelines

4. Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Ayush

11th Ayurveda Day Celebrated in Nagpur, Highlighting Evidence, Research, Innovation and Community Wellbeing.

Published: 23 September 2026.

Official information on the launch of the Ayush-related inventions report and other research initiatives during Ayurveda Day 2026.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2313893

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