On January 10th, Mr. Daniel Lee, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Innovation and Intellectual Property and Ms. Aurelia Schultz, Director, Innovation and Intellectual Property, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, along with officials from USPTO India team interacted with AMCHAM members from the defense, healthcare, pharma, medical devices and food and agriculture sectors. Ms. Udaya Arun, Director, AMCHAM welcomed all participants and shared a brief introduction of the sectors represented. AVM (Retd.) Michael Fernandes, Country Head – India GBD South Asia Director, Lockheed Martin India formally welcomed the officials and shared a brief on the IP sector in the country. Mr. Lee, in his remarks, mentioned the great partnership between the two nations and the crucial working group on intellectual property that meets regularly and feeds the inputs to the larger Trade Policy Forum for which the next interaction would take place the same week in New Delhi. Dr. Vibhav Garg, Director – Health Economics & Government Affairs India HUB & ASEAN, Boston Scientific moderated the discussion and encouraged members to share their sector issues candidly. Members raised issues ranging from regulatory data protection, lack of patent linkage, pre-grant opposition, agricultural chemicals, research samples export status, full disclosure clause, need for stronger enforcements, stance of the indigenous defense industry, local preference, Make in India push, need for enforcements of patents, GTE exemptions, etc. Ms. Jyotsna Ghoshal, Enterprise Lead, Government Affairs & Policy, India and Global Lead, International Forums, Johnson & Johnson thanked the officials while requesting for a read-out of the TPF post the ministerial and gave the formal vote of thanks. AMCHAM shared about the annual door knock to Washington D.C. during early June 2024 and requested for an opportunity for a follow-up interaction to discuss more issues where AMCHAM members would seek U.S. government support.