Copyright Extension to 70-95 Years Proposed During Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s Consultation with Entertainment Industry

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] : Following India’s successful conclusion and advancement of landmark Free Trade Agreements with the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, the entertainment industry has expressed deep appreciation for the Government’s leadership in strengthening India’s global trade position. The agreements’ focus on intellectual property protection and digital trade facilitation is expected to open significant new pathways for Indian creative exports.

During a high-level consultation chaired by Hon’ble Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal with Export Promotion Councils and industry bodies, a strategic proposal was formally placed to review India’s copyright framework — including extending the current 60-year protection period for cinematograph films and sound recordings to align with global standards ranging between 70 to 95 years.

Representing the entire entertainment sector in his capacity as Council of Administration (COA) Member of the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), Mr. Narendra Hirawat, Chairman, NH Studioz, presented the industry’s consolidated position on strengthening intellectual property as a long-term export asset.

The consultation focused on leveraging intellectual property-led industries as key drivers of India’s services exports under the new trade frameworks.

Hirawat emphasised that in the digital era, films and content libraries are enduring assets that generate recurring foreign exchange through streaming, licensing, remakes and archival monetisation across decades. He noted that India’s current copyright protection of 60 years from publication is lower than major global markets such as:

• European Union – 70 years

• United Kingdom – 70 years

• United States – 95 years (for corporate works)

Extending the term, he stated, would:

• Improve long-term valuation of Indian content libraries
• Enhance investor confidence
• Strengthen financing potential against content assets
• Align India with global intellectual property benchmarks

“As global trade agreements expand international opportunities for Indian storytelling, aligning our copyright framework with leading markets will reinforce India’s position as a long-term exporter of creative capital,” said Narendra Hirawat.

The consultation underscored the importance of aligning trade policy, intellectual property standards and export strategy to ensure that India’s creative industries fully capitalise on emerging global opportunities.