M A I N   N E W S

India lost precious time: Ajit
Patenting of basmati by US firm

New Delhi, August 22
Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh today admitted that India had lost precious time in putting up a strong case against patenting of aromatic Indian basmati rice by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on the three varieties developed by American company RiceTec from basmati rice strains.

India should not have delayed in putting in place all legal logistics for protecting “geographic indicators” for basmati and plant varieties, he said.

Mr Ajit Singh’s observation, apparently bore an oblique reference that India had challenged only three claims — 15,16 and 17 — of a total of 20 which related to the grain quality, and did not question the US patenting system vis-a-vis basmati rice.

He, however, said that with the passage of the plant protection and farmers rights Bill in the current session of Parliament, India would be on sound footing to protect the country’s entire flora and fauna against their patenting by any overseas company. The Bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.

On the other hand, the Commerce Ministry has described the granting of patent to RiceTec as a “victory for India’’ as the USPTO has made the American company drop its claim to basmati rice. “Now RiceTec is left with only five claims carrying least commercial importance for India,” said Mr Anil Swarup, Chairman of APEDA, an agency under the Commerce Ministry.

Indian Rice Exporters feel that the USPTO has given “varietal patent” to RiceTec which will not affect their export to and marketing in the USA or anywhere else because the American company could not secure exclusive rights on marketing its product.

While the Indian Government insisted that there was nothing to worry on the issue, green campaigners from NGOs went to the extent of describing the patenting an act of “biopiracy.”

Mr Devinder Sharma from the biotechnology safety and food security foundation said the US company had secured patents through “backdoor” on basmati rice and had succeeded in ending the Indian sub-continent’s monopoly over the scented basmati rice by hiding its geographic indication. The American company can sell its product in market as “Bas 867’ calling it a’ “superior basmati grain” negating India’s claim that the USPTO decision was a victory for the country, Mr Sharma said. UNI

Pak backs India’s stance on WTO

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Murasoli Maran with his Pakistani counterpart Abdul Razzak Dawood in New Delhi on Wednesday. State Minister of Commerce Digvijay Singh is also seen in the picture. — PTI photo

New Delhi, August 22
Pakistan today supported India’s stand on WTO, but made it clear that bilateral trade was a “subset” of the overall bilateral relations between the two countries.

It, however, favoured early initiation of trade talks.

“Trade issues (with India) clearly come into the subset of overall issues with India. However, we would like to see trade grow between the two countries. There is no harm in us having discussions”, Pakistan’s Commerce, Industry and Production Minister Abdul Razzak Dawood said here.

Dawood, who held an hour-long meeting with his Indian counterpart, Mr Murasoli Maran, said there were a lot of commonalities on WTO interests between the two countries, and the interest of the developing world should be protected.

Dawood also said Basmati was the product of the sub-continent and both India and Pakistan have a right over it.

Pakistan also asked India to go ahead with the gas pipeline with Iran which had to pass through its territory.

On the granting of the reciprocal most favoured nation status to India, Mr Dawood, who led the five-member Pakistani delegation for talks with Mr Maran, said: “it would serve no purpose even if Pakistan has to grant the most favoured nation status to India unless some of the speed-breakers are removed”. PTI

Pak trying to make plutonium bomb

Washington, August 22
Pakistan has been trying to modernise its nuclear arsenal with plutonium bombs and is producing warheads for its missiles aimed at India and elsewhere, says The Wall Street Journal.

The journal further says Pakistan has been proliferating nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and Iraq. “UN inspectors dismantling the Iraqi nuclear programme have found evidence that the plan for Iraq’s nuclear bomb was a Chinese design provided by Pakistan.”

This is the first time that Pakistan has been accused of proliferating nuclear technology. There have been hints from the US administration, mouthed recently by Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, about Pakistan’s alleged role in proliferating nuclear technology. ANI