India surge fuels global patent filings to record high

China, U.S. and Japan make up top 3 with modest increases

The headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva. According to the United Nations agency, China led the world in patent applications in 2023. © Reuters

MADOKA KITAMATSU, Nikkei staff writer

November 8, 2024 05:21 JST

PARIS -- Patent applications rose 2.7% in 2023 to a record 3.55 million worldwide, fueled in part by strong activity in India.

China remained comfortably in the top spot with 1.64 million filings, up 3.6% on the year, according to World Intellectual Property Organization data released Thursday.