"Now it will be possible for applicants to file their international applications with the patent office from today,'' industry minister Sikander Bakht said here on Monday.

Bakht also mentioned the initiatives taken by the government in strenghtening intellectual property administration such as modernisation of Patent Information Systems (PIS) and Trademarks Registry. These two projects which have received technical assistance from WIPO are being fine tuned to meet requirements of users, the minister said.

Meanwhile, Bakht said the government is likely to introduce a bill in parliament next week to amend the patents act in order to provide exclusive marketing rights (EMRs) to foreign agro-chemical and pharmaceuticals firms, Sikander Bakht, union industry ministry said on Monday.

"We are to goint to take the Bill to parliament next week,"Bakht told reporters when asked about the future of the bill at a World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) seminar he inaugurated.

``The government is sure of getting the amendment Bill passed in parliament. I am not just optimistic but sure that the Bill will be passed by parliament," he said. The government has enough support to pass the amendment,he added.

The Union cabinet on November 23 had decided to amend the Patents Act of 1970 which would give EMRs to overseas pharmaceutical and agro-chemical firms. India was facing a deadline of April 19, 1999 set by the World Trade Organisation to take positive steps to amend its patent regime.

The Patents Act is being amended to fulfill India's assurance to provide legally-backed patent cover to foreign pharmaceutical and agro-chemical manufacturers to WTO's dispute settlement body following a complaint lodged by the US and the European Union.