Indians now file more patents at home than Germans
Patent applications by residents at their national patent office, thousands, 2010–2024.
patent applications by Indian residents in 2024, up from 12,040 in 2014.
The year India passed Germany, where filings at the national office fell from 48,154 in 2014 to 40,085.
India's home-grown filings grew 5.3-fold in a decade, so patenting is spreading beyond the old industrial powers.
the numbers
| Year | India (k) | Germany (k) | United Kingdom (k) | France (k) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.9 | 47.0 | 15.5 | 14.7 |
| 2011 | 8.8 | 47.0 | 15.3 | 14.7 |
| 2012 | 9.6 | 46.6 | 15.4 | 14.5 |
| 2013 | 10.7 | 47.4 | 15.0 | 14.7 |
| 2014 | 12.0 | 48.2 | 15.2 | 14.5 |
| 2015 | 12.6 | 47.4 | 14.9 | 14.3 |
| 2016 | 13.2 | 48.5 | 13.9 | 14.2 |
| 2017 | 15.0 | 47.8 | 13.3 | 14.4 |
| 2018 | 16.3 | 46.6 | 12.9 | 14.3 |
| 2019 | 19.5 | 46.6 | 12.1 | 14.1 |
| 2020 | 23.1 | 42.3 | 12.0 | 12.8 |
| 2021 | 26.3 | 39.8 | 11.6 | 13.4 |
| 2022 | 38.6 | 37.2 | 11.2 | 13.3 |
| 2023 | 49.9 | 38.5 | 11.5 | 13.6 |
| 2024 | 63.2 | 40.1 | 11.1 | 12.8 |
source notes & method
All values read from the World Bank API (IP.PAT.RESD, WDI last updated 8 Oct 2026) on 3 Nov 2026; the World Bank's source is WIPO's patent statistics. Counts applications filed by residents of each country at that country's national patent office. Applicants can also file at regional offices such as the European Patent Office; such filings may not appear here, so the series can understate countries whose inventors file regionally (Interpretation). India passed Germany in 2022 (38,551 vs 37,199; 2021: 26,267 vs 39,822). 5.3× = 63,217/12,040, derived. Takeaway 3's last clause is an interpretation.
Published 3 Nov 2026
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