SC Opines On Interplay Between Indian Copyright And Design Law

The SC, in the case of Cryogas Equipment (P) Ltd. v. Inox India Ltd.,¹ delved into the aspect of whether proprietary engineering drawings and related literary works associated with internal parts of liquified natural gas storage tanks and distribution systems were protected as 'artistic works' under Section 2(c) of the Copyright Act, 1957 ('Copyright Act'), or fell within the definition of 'designs' as under Section 2(d) of the Designs Act, 2000 ('Designs Act').

Inox alleged copyright infringement, while the appellants argued that since the drawings had been industrially applied to more than 50 articles and were not registered as designs, copyright protection was no longer applicable as per Section 15(2) of the Copyright Act.