In a landmark moment for India and Asia, Justice Prathiba M. Singh of the Delhi High Court has been appointed as Chairperson of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Advisory Board of Judges for the 2025–2027 term. The appointment makes her the first Indian and Asian jurist to head the United Nations body’s global judicial forum, which plays a key role in shaping IP jurisprudence across international legal systems.
India Celebrates a Global Milestone
India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva described the appointment as “a proud moment for India”, noting that Justice Singh will guide a panel of judges from around the world in strengthening judicial engagement within WIPO’s intellectual property (IP) ecosystem.
WIPO, in its official statement, said it was “honoured to welcome Justice Singh” and highlighted her extensive experience in IP law and judicial innovation. The Advisory Board of Judges, which includes nine other distinguished members, provides strategic direction to WIPO’s programs involving courts and judicial institutions worldwide.
Trailblazing Legal Career
Justice Singh began her legal career in 1991 and was elevated as a permanent judge of the Delhi High Court in 2017. She notably chaired the High Court’s first Intellectual Property Division (2021–2022), which streamlined IP case adjudication in India. Before her elevation, she was among India’s most respected IP advocates, appearing before the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court, and the Indian Patent Office.
Her contributions to IP reform include policy input to Parliamentary Committees, improvements in patent and copyright examination systems, and authorship of a two-volume work on Indian patent law.
Academic and Global Recognition
An alumna of University Law College, Bangalore, and University of Cambridge, Justice Singh’s scholarly achievements include the establishment of the “Prathiba M. Singh Scholarship” at Cambridge in 2013. She was named among the 50 Most Influential People in Intellectual Property worldwide in both 2021 and 2022.
She also serves as Co-Chair of the WHO Working Group on Regulatory Considerations on Artificial Intelligence in Health, underlining her growing global influence at the intersection of technology, innovation, and regulation.
International Judicial Board
Alongside Justice Singh, WIPO announced nine other appointees to its Advisory Board, representing countries such as Panama, Kazakhstan, Egypt, France, Canada, Tanzania, the European Union, and South Korea. Members serve in their individual capacities, offering diverse perspectives from different legal systems.
Leaders Laud ‘Historic First’ for India
The appointment has drawn congratulations from Indian leaders.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a post on October 23, 2025, called it “a first for India and the Asian region” and praised Justice Singh’s “remarkable contribution to jurisprudence in patent law.”
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, writing on October 22, 2025, described the appointment as “a moment of great pride for Bharat”, adding that it “reflects the nation’s growing global stature in the field of intellectual property” and would “further strengthen India’s engagement with WIPO.”
Strengthening India’s Role in Global IP Diplomacy
Justice Singh’s elevation to the top UN judicial advisory role is seen as a defining moment in India’s evolving IP diplomacy. It underscores the country’s emergence as a thought leader in innovation policy, digital regulation, and intellectual property protection—fields increasingly shaping the future of global trade and technology governance.
