India and Brazil have signed a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Access Agreement to strengthen cooperation in the protection of traditional knowledge and enhance collaboration in patent examination processes.
The National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of India entered into the cooperation arrangement granting Brazil access to India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, a globally recognised prior art database of Indian traditional knowledge. The agreement was exchanged on February 21, 2026, in the presence of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is on a State Visit to India from February 18 to 22, 2026, to participate in the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and hold bilateral discussions with Narendra Modi. Both leaders welcomed the exchange of the TKDL Access Agreement, describing it as a significant step toward strengthening bilateral cooperation in traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights.
The agreement was exchanged by Márcio Fernando Elias Rosa, Deputy Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services of Brazil, and Periasamy Kumaran, Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs. Under the cooperation framework, the Brazilian Patent Office will gain access to the TKDL database for use during patent examination and grant procedures.
The TKDL serves as a critical mechanism to prevent misappropriation and erroneous patenting of Indian traditional knowledge by establishing documented prior art. By enabling patent examiners in Brazil to consult the database, the agreement enhances scrutiny of novelty and originality claims in patent applications involving traditional medicinal knowledge and related practices.
Officials stated that the signing marks the beginning of a structured partnership aimed at strengthening global efforts to prevent biopiracy and misuse of traditional knowledge. The cooperation is also expected to improve the quality and efficiency of patent examination in Brazil by facilitating more comprehensive prior art assessments.
The agreement will be implemented under the guidance of Júlio César Moreira, President of INPI Brazil; N Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; and Viswajanani J Sattigeri, Head of the CSIR TKDL Unit.
Established in 2001 through a collaboration between CSIR and the Ministry of AYUSH, the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library was created to prevent the wrongful grant of patents on India’s traditional medicinal and wellness knowledge. The database currently contains more than 5.2 lakh formulations and practices drawn from Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Yoga, sourced from authoritative classical texts.
The knowledge has been translated, structured and indexed in five international languages — English, German, French, Japanese and Spanish — to overcome linguistic and format barriers faced by global patent examiners. Access to the database is provided to patent offices worldwide under strict non disclosure agreements.
With the inclusion of INPI Brazil, the number of patent offices globally with access to the TKDL has risen to eighteen. The platform is widely regarded as a global benchmark for defensive protection of traditional knowledge. Its documented prior art evidence has contributed to the revocation, rejection, amendment, withdrawal or abandonment of more than 375 patent applications worldwide.
The agreement underscores India’s continued commitment to safeguarding its knowledge heritage while deepening international cooperation in intellectual property governance and responsible innovation.
