The principle of national treatment is one of the foundational concepts of the international framework for patent protection, particularly as established under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. It reflects the idea that a country must treat foreign applicants for intellectual property rights, including patents, in the same manner as it treats its own nationals. This principle ensures fairness, non-discrimination, and equal access to legal protection across member states, thereby facilitating international cooperation and encouraging innovation beyond national boundaries. Under the Paris Convention, national treatment requires each member country to grant the same level of protection to nationals of other member countries as it grants to its own citizens. This means that a foreign inventor or applicant does not face any disadvantage simply because of nationality when seeking patent protection in another member state. The foreign applicant is entitled to the same rights, remedies, procedures, and legal safeguards as domestic applicants. For example, if a country provides a 20-year patent protection term to its own citizens, it must extend the same duration to applicants from other member countries. The principle applies not only to substantive rights but also to procedural aspects of patent law. Foreign applicants must be allowed to file patent applications, access administrative and judicial remedies, and enforce their rights under the same conditions as nationals. This includes the ability to participate in legal