CAN SOMEONE COPY AND SELL YOUR PATENTED PRODUCT IN ANOTHER COUNTRY?

INTRODUCTION:

It is true that big innovations often start with a small idea and end up generating massive revenue and Patents are the tools helping for protecting such inventions from being copied and sold without permission. But there lies a certain condition that territorially limits the enforcement of the Patent i.e. it is enforceable only in the countries where the Patent is registered. So, the answer to the above question would be yes, one can sell your patented inventions in other countries. He just cannot manufacture, import, distribute, or sell patented products in countries only where the invention is patented. e.g., if you Patent a new type of cycle in India, but not any other country, you cannot restrict someone from selling a similar cycle in China, USA, Australia, Japan, or elsewhere. Meaning all the hard work and resources go to waste as this copycat has no legal liability if they copy and sell your product in countries other than India.

However, not all is bad in the Patent world and this problem can be overcome by going for international registration of Patents. Such international Patent registration can be done in many ways and is immensely helpful in combating the above discussed issue.

CONCLUSION:

From the above discussion, it can be concluded that if you have a Patent registration covering your product granted in India and also want to corner the market of other potential countries as well. Then getting a Patent registration in those other countries not only extends the market of the product in all those countries but also stops and even punishes the copycats for copying and selling your product in those territories. A well managed international Patent registration can also provide one with various strategic and economic advantages.