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18. Appropriate office in relation to international applications.—

(1) The receiving office, the designated office and the elected office, as the case may be, for the purposes of international applications shall be the appropriate office referred to in rule 4.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the Patent Office, Delhi branch shall be the appropriate office for dealing with the International Bureau and any other International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority.

(3) An international application shall be filed at and processed by the appropriate office, referred to in sub-rule (1), in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter,the Treaty and the regulations under the Treaty.

(4) The appropriate office referred to in sub-rule (1),shall, on receipt of an international application,

(a) keep one copy of the application to be called the "home copy" in its office;

(b) transmit one copy to be called the "record copy" to the International Bureau; and

(c) transmit one copy to be called "search copy'' to the competent International Searching Authority referred to in Article 16 of the Treaty,

And simultaneously furnish complete details of such application to the Patent Office, Delhi branch.