India, Brazil Sign Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Pact to Curb Biopiracy

The TKDL is a pioneering prior-art repository documenting India’s traditional medicinal and cultural knowledge in patent-searchable formats, designed to prevent wrongful patent claims on centuries-old practices.

India and Brazil have formalised a landmark cooperation arrangement granting Brazil’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) access to India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), strengthening bilateral collaboration in traditional knowledge (TK) protection and intellectual property rights (IPR).

The TKDL Access Agreement was exchanged on 21 February 2026 in the presence of Brazilian President H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, during President Lula’s State Visit to India for the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and high-level bilateral engagements.

Strengthening Global Protection of Traditional Knowledge

The agreement enables the Brazilian Patent Office (INPI) to use the TKDL database during patent examination and grant procedures. The TKDL is a pioneering prior-art repository documenting India’s traditional medicinal and cultural knowledge in patent-searchable formats, designed to prevent wrongful patent claims on centuries-old practices.

By granting INPI structured access, the arrangement aims to:

• Prevent misappropriation and biopiracy of Indian traditional knowledge

• Improve novelty and prior-art assessments in Brazil’s patent system

• Enhance the quality and efficiency of patent examinations

The two leaders welcomed the exchange of the agreement, noting that it reflects growing India–Brazil cooperation in intellectual property governance and knowledge preservation.

Agreement Exchange and Implementation

The agreement was formally exchanged by:

• H.E. Márcio Fernando Elias Rosa, Deputy Minister of Development, Industry, Trade & Services, Brazil

• Shri Periasamy Kumaran, IFS, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

The implementation will be overseen by:

• Mr. Júlio César Moreira, President, INPI, Brazil

• Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR

• Dr. Viswajanani J. Sattigeri, Scientist-H and Head, CSIR-TKDL Unit

TKDL: A First-of-Its-Kind Global Model

Developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the TKDL is globally recognised as a first-of-its-kind digital repository translating and codifying ancient Indian medicinal knowledge from systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Yoga into formats accessible to international patent examiners.

The database has played a pivotal role in challenging and preventing wrongful patent claims in multiple jurisdictions, including cases involving turmeric, neem and basmati rice in earlier decades.

By expanding access to Brazil, India strengthens its global strategy to safeguard traditional knowledge while reinforcing South-South cooperation among emerging economies.

Boosting Bilateral Strategic Ties

The agreement comes at a time of expanding India–Brazil collaboration across technology, trade, digital innovation and sustainable development. The TKDL partnership adds a new dimension to bilateral ties by aligning intellectual property governance with cultural preservation and equitable knowledge sharing.

For Brazil, access to TKDL enhances its patent examination capacity by equipping examiners with a robust prior-art database, reducing the risk of granting patents on existing traditional formulations.

For India, the pact advances its international campaign against biopiracy and promotes recognition of traditional knowledge as a protected and respected intellectual asset.

The signing marks the beginning of a deeper partnership in intellectual property cooperation, underscoring a shared commitment to safeguarding indigenous knowledge systems while strengthening innovation ecosystems.