This document provides an overview of patent law in India, including the history and mechanisms of intellectual property rights (IPR) and the Indian Patent Act of 1970. It describes what can be patented in India, the types of patents, the patent application process, and amendments made to the patent act over the years, including the Patent Amendment Acts of 1999, 2002, 2005, and 2010. The key purpose of patents is to protect inventions and provide exclusive commercial rights to inventors for a limited time.