India vs South Korea: Life science patents granted, by technology
India
836 patents
in 2023
South Korea
2,686 patents
in 2023
India rank
7th
South Korea rank
4th
Life science patents granted, by technology over time
- India
- South Korea
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 2,686 patents against 836 patents in India, a difference of 1,850 patents.
That makes South Korea's figure about 3.2 times India's.
Across all 18 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.
India ranks 7th and South Korea ranks 4th of 65 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | India | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 383.25 patents | 1,485 patents | 1,102 patents | South Korea |
| 2010s | 469.8 patents | 2,293 patents | 1,824 patents | South Korea |
| 2020s | 762.5 patents | 2,735 patents | 1,972 patents | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by technology, India or South Korea?
- South Korea, at 2,686 patents against 836 patents in India as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by technology between India and South Korea?
- 1,850 patents, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Korea?
- 18 years are reported by both, from 2006 to 2023.
- How do India and South Korea rank globally for life science patents granted, by technology?
- India ranks 7th and South Korea ranks 4th of 65 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Life science patents granted, by technology. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of pharmaceutical patents granted by the filing office in a given year. Pharmaceutical patents typically cover new drugs, biological treatments or vaccines.