Key Details
A government review brings together the legal reforms and market-development initiatives supporting India’s Geographical Indication ecosystem. The measures indicate a broader policy effort to connect the protection of region-specific products with producer participation, domestic visibility and access to export markets.
Registration Base: India has more than 800 registered GI products, including 607 granted since 2014.
Authorised Users: The number of registered users increased from 365 to about 29,000 over the past decade, as of January 2025.
Sectoral Coverage: As of December 2025, there are 445 registered handicraft products, 251 agricultural products, 66 food products, 64 manufactured products and five natural products. It separately reports 27 registered product logos.
Leading States: Uttar Pradesh had 81 GI-tagged products, followed by Tamil Nadu with 76 and Maharashtra with 55.
Lower Fees: The 2025 amendments reduced GI application-related fees by 80% and lowered the renewal fee from ₹3,000 to ₹500.
Financial Assistance: Eligible applicants may receive reimbursement of up to ₹2 lakh for GI registration under the MSME Innovative Scheme and assistance of up to ₹1.5 lakh for specified enforcement and legal expenses through the handicrafts administration.
Market Platforms: GI products are being promoted through PM Ekta Malls, One Station One Product outlets, exhibitions and tourism-linked GI trails.
Export Support: APEDA provides quality improvement, capacity building, infrastructure and market-promotion assistance for GI-tagged agricultural products.
2030 Target: India aims to reach 10,000 GI registrations by 2030.
GI Policy Is Moving Beyond Registration
The Geographical Indications (GIs) are becoming both intellectual property rights and tools for local economic development.
A GI identifies products whose quality or reputation is linked to their geographical origin, protecting them against unauthorised use while helping consumers identify authentic goods. India's framework operates under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, with registration valid for 10 yearsand renewable.
As registrations and authorised users have expanded, policy is increasingly shifting from legal protection towards commercialisation, enabling producers to derive greater economic value from GI recognition.
Support Now Extends Beyond Registration
Government initiatives now address the entire value chain from market access to promotion.
PM Ekta Malls showcase GI-tagged products, One District One Product (ODOP) items and handicrafts.
One Station One Product (OSOP) outlets provide retail space at railway stations.
GI Trails link production clusters with tourism.
The MSME Innovative Scheme reimburses eligible GI registration costs, while the Ministry of Textilessupports registration, promotion and enforcement.
Together, these initiatives complement legal recognition with market access, producer support and consumer visibility.
GI Promotion Is Acquiring a Trade Dimension
APEDA is promoting GI-tagged agricultural products through capacity building, quality improvement, infrastructure support and export promotion. The backgrounder highlights exports of products such as Joha Rice, Tezpur Litchi and Salem Sago, along with the export of 30 metric tonnes of Muzaffarnagar Jaggery to Bangladesh by a farmer-producer company.
The review also highlights the growing role of GIs in trade negotiations. New Zealand has agreed to facilitate registration of Indian GIs, while India and the European Union are negotiating a dedicated GI agreement. However, domestic registration alone does not guarantee international protection, which depends on the legal framework in the destination country.
What Is a Geographical Indication?
A Geographical Indication, or GI, identifies a product as originating in a particular place when its quality, reputation or another defining characteristic is linked to that geographical origin. Examples include Darjeeling Tea, Banarasi Brocades and Sarees, and Channapatna Toys. It is a collective right associated with eligible producers in the defined region; it is not a brand owned exclusively by one business. Producers generally need to become authorised users to exercise the rights available under the registered GI.
Policy Relevance
India is building a wider commercial ecosystem around geographical indications rather than treating registration as the final outcome. This can strengthen regional branding and create new channels for traditional products, provided that expansion in registrations is matched by producer participation, credible standards and enforceable protection.
Broaden authorised-user participation: Registration has limited economic reach if eligible farmers, artisans and processors are not organised and registered to use the GI.
Strengthen collective governance: Producer groups need workable systems for maintaining specifications, resolving misuse and deciding how the geographical identity is marketed.
Connect protection with market readiness: Packaging, testing, logistics, design, digital commerce and reliable supply are often necessary for GI products to enter premium or export markets.
Preserve authenticity while supporting innovation: Commercial expansion should allow products to respond to new markets without weakening the characteristics on which the GI is based.
Track producer-level outcomes: Registrations, exhibitions and exports should be accompanied by evidence on authorised users, sales, realised prices, net incomes and the distribution of value within producer communities.
Prioritise international protection: Overseas registration and trade-agreement recognition should focus on products with clear export potential and a credible system for monitoring misuse.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: As India targets 10,000 GI registrations by 2030, how can policy ensure that registration leads to wider producer participation, credible quality assurance and a measurable share of commercial value for the originating communities?
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