ipr-ustr-retains-india-on-priority-watch-list

India has been retained on the Priority Watch List in the latest report by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, which evaluates how well trading partners protect and enforce intellectual property (IP) rights.

According to the USTR’s Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement 2026, India is among six countries on this list, alongside China, Russia, Indonesia, Chile and Venezuela. The designation highlights ongoing concerns over shortcomings in IP protection, enforcement or market access for US stakeholders relying on such rights. 

The report also identified Vietnam as a ‘Priority Foreign Country (PFC)’—the most serious classification—marking the first time in 13 years that any country has been placed in this category. The USTR said this label is reserved for nations with the most severe IP-related issues that significantly impact US products. 

 

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It noted that Vietnam has failed to engage meaningfully in negotiations or make adequate progress toward improving IP protections. Countries on the Priority Watch List, including India, are subject to closer monitoring and engagement by the US. Their inclusion indicates persistent problems in IP enforcement frameworks or barriers affecting US businesses operating in those markets.

In total, 19 countries—including the European Union, Türkiye and Pakistan—have been placed on the Watch List, which signals comparatively less severe but still notable concerns. US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer said Washington will continue to use available enforcement tools to address unfair trade practices and ensure protection for American innovators and creators worldwide. 

The Special 301 Report is an annual review mandated under US trade law. It assesses more than 100 trading partners and identifies those that do not meet US standards for intellectual property protection and enforcement. The report reiterated that India remains one of the more challenging major economies when it comes to ensuring effective IP protection and enforcement.