Deputy Dean of the SMU School of Law, Professor David Llewelyn, commented that it is not unusual for patents to be applied for and granted in North America and/or Europe only - because the more countries involved, the more expensive it gets. Intellectual property rights (IPR) like patents are territorially limited rights. He explained that threats of IPR infringement are a normal part of doing business today. In many instances, the best course of action is to ask for a licence from the patent owner, and pay what is hopefully a small royalty per product. Or if legal action has been threatened or commenced, negotiate a settlement.
Source
The Business Times