India vs South Korea: Annual patent applications
India
26,267
in 2021
South Korea
186,245
in 2021
India rank
6th
South Korea rank
4th
Annual patent applications over time
- India
- South Korea
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 186,245 against 26,267 in India, a difference of 159,978.
That makes South Korea's figure about 7.1 times India's.
Across all 41 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.
India ranks 6th and South Korea ranks 4th of 135 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | India | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,051 | 3,338 | 2,287 | South Korea |
| 1990s | 1,604 | 38,985 | 37,380 | South Korea |
| 2000s | 4,511 | 104,947 | 100,437 | South Korea |
| 2010s | 12,644 | 156,597 | 143,954 | South Korea |
| 2020s | 24,704 | 183,361 | 158,657 | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, India or South Korea?
- South Korea, at 186,245 against 26,267 in India as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between India and South Korea?
- 159,978, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Korea?
- 41 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do India and South Korea rank globally for annual patent applications?
- India ranks 6th and South Korea ranks 4th of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Annual patent applications. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.