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InKnowBiz at the 18th BRICS HIPO Meeting in New Delhi: Connecting the Dots Between IP and Culture

New Delhi | 3 September 2026

By Raj Kumar, Founder & Managing Associate – Patents & Designs, InKnowBiz Associates

Raj Kumar with the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks at the 18th BRICS HIPO Meeting, New Delhi.

InKnowBiz Associates was pleased to be part of the 18th BRICS Heads of Intellectual Property Offices (HIPO) Meeting in New Delhi, an important platform for dialogue and cooperation on intellectual property, innovation and related areas.

The programme provided an enriching opportunity to engage with senior representatives of Intellectual Property Offices, the Indian IP ecosystem and fellow IP professionals.

A particularly insightful part of the programme was the plenary session on:

“Connecting the Dots Between IP and Culture”

The session offered valuable perspectives on the relationship between intellectual property, cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and economic value.

The discussions highlighted how intellectual property frameworks intersect with:

Traditional Knowledge (TK) passed down through generations;
Traditional Cultural Expressions, including art, music, cinema, crafts and other forms of creative expression;
Geographical Indications (GIs) that associate products with particular regions, communities and traditions;
Cultural heritage and knowledge inherited from previous generations; and
The potential of these cultural assets to contribute to innovation, sustainable development and economic value.

Presentation on Protection and Legal Frameworks for Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) by Prof (Dr) Unnat P Pandit, CGPDTM — Plenary session on protection and legal frameworks for Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions.

Presentation outline covering cultural heritage, cultural value, creative economy, AI and culture, and BRICS cooperation — “Connecting the Dots Between IP and Culture” — from heritage and creativity to AI and BRICS cooperation.

IP, Culture and the AI Era

One of the questions that stood out for me is particularly relevant in today’s rapidly evolving technological environment:

How can traditional knowledge and cultural expressions be responsibly preserved, protected and utilised in the age of Artificial Intelligence?

As AI systems increasingly interact with human knowledge, creative works and cultural material, questions surrounding intellectual property, attribution, responsible use, cultural heritage and traditional knowledge are becoming increasingly important.

The presentations and perspectives shared by the Heads of IP Offices and other distinguished participants demonstrated that IP is not limited to patents, trademarks or copyrights in the conventional sense. It can also serve as an important bridge between heritage, creativity, innovation and economic development.

Delegates and BRICS member country flags at the plenary hall of the 18th BRICS HIPO Meeting in New Delhi — The plenary hall, with delegations and flags of BRICS member countries.

Raj Kumar at the BRICS India 2026 venue branding during the 18th BRICS HIPO Meeting — Raj Kumar at the BRICS India 2026 venue, New Delhi.

A Valuable Professional Experience

The programme also provided an excellent opportunity to meet and interact with the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks, senior IP officials and fellow IP professionals, exchange perspectives and strengthen professional relationships.

For me, the experience reinforced an important understanding:

Culture is not merely an inheritance from the past; when appropriately recognised and protected, it can also become a source of creativity, innovation and economic value for the future.

The 18th BRICS HIPO Meeting was therefore not only an important IP programme, but also an opportunity to look at intellectual property from a broader perspective—as a means of protecting innovation, preserving heritage, encouraging creativity and creating value from knowledge and culture.

InKnowBiz Associates looks forward to continuing to engage with the wider IP community and contributing to meaningful discussions on the evolving role of intellectual property in India and internationally.