IN a global market where product origins blur, India’s Geographical Indication (GI) tag anchors goods to their cultural and geographical roots. Enacted under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, aligned with the WTO’s TRIPS agreement, a GI tag certifies a product’s unique qualities, such as flavour or craftsmanship, tied to its specific locale. Darjeeling tea, the first recipient in 2004, exemplifies this, protecting names from unauthorised use by counterfeiters.

Legally, the tag empowers producers to sue infringers, with penalties of up to three years’ imprisonment or fines up to Rs 2 lakh, ensuring robust protection for authentic goods.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, a Geographical Indication right allows authorised

See Full Page