Sun Aug 03 19:18:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and rewritten news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
An analysis published in The Hindu on August 4, 2025, raises concerns about the India-United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), specifically its impact on India’s intellectual property rights stance. The authors argue that Article 13.6 of the CETA favors voluntary licensing over compulsory licensing for pharmaceutical products, potentially hindering access to affordable medicines. This represents a significant shift from India’s historical support for compulsory licensing as a means to combat excessive pricing by patent holders. Furthermore, the agreement weakens India’s position on technology transfer to developing countries on “favourable terms”, especially concerning climate-friendly technologies. The authors contend that CETA undermines India’s ability to advocate for affordable medicines and technology transfer, ultimately impacting public health and industrial development.
**News Article:**
**India-UK Trade Deal Under Fire for Intellectual Property Concessions, Experts Warn of Impact on Drug Access and Technology Transfer**
**New Delhi, August 4, 2025** – The recently signed India-United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is facing scrutiny over its intellectual property chapter, with experts warning it could undermine India’s access to affordable medicines and hinder technology transfer initiatives.
An analysis published today in The Hindu raises serious concerns about Article 13.6 of the CETA, which prioritizes voluntary licensing agreements for pharmaceutical products. Critics argue this shift away from India’s traditional support for compulsory licensing could allow pharmaceutical companies to maintain high drug prices, making essential treatments unaffordable for many.
“India has historically been a strong advocate for compulsory licensing, a mechanism that allows domestic manufacturers to produce patented drugs at lower costs to ensure public access,” explained Biswajit Dhar, former Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, one of the authors of the analysis. “By endorsing voluntary licensing as the ‘preferable’ route, India is weakening its position on this critical issue.”
The article highlights the example of Natco Pharma’s compulsory license for an anti-cancer drug in 2012, which drastically reduced the price of the medication. Experts fear such interventions will be less likely under the CETA.
Furthermore, the agreement is criticized for diluting India’s stance on technology transfer to developing countries. The authors claim the CETA weakens India’s ability to demand climate-friendly technologies from advanced nations on “favourable terms,” hindering the country’s efforts to combat climate change and promote industrial development.
“This trade deal potentially undermines decades of effort to ensure developing countries have access to the technologies they need to grow sustainably,” said K.M. Gopakumar, Senior Researcher and Legal Adviser at Third World Network, the other author of the analysis.
The concerns come as India grapples with the challenges of providing affordable healthcare and meeting its climate goals. The debate surrounding the CETA’s intellectual property provisions is likely to intensify in the coming weeks as policymakers and stakeholders assess the deal’s long-term implications.
First Piper 