With increasing number of drug patent filings along with litigations between innovator companies and generic drug producers, the Controller General of Patents, Design and Trademark, under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, has issued draft guidelines for examining patent applications in the field of pharmaceuticals. (BS)
 
India has touched the top spot in consumer confidence among the 60 countries measured in Nielsen's Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions in the second quarter (April-June) of 2014. (BS)
 
The Corporate Affairs Ministry has amended the rules governing RPTs so as to ease the “materiality” threshold for minority shareholders’ approval. Companies will now be required to send fewer and more material related party transactions (RPTs) to shareholders for special resolution approval. All the RPTs won’t need minority shareholders’ nod. (BL)
 
To provide relief to domestic producers, the Government has imposed safeguard duty on the import of seamless pipes and tubes, which are used in equipment for power generation, oil exploration, and bearing industry, besides others. (BL)
 
The Indian automobile sector, which faced major slowdown in demand in the last two years, witnessed about 85% decline in FDI to only US$73mn during April-May this fiscal, as per the data of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. (ET)