Grant of Geographical Indication Tags

 Grant of Geographical Indication Tags

The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999 governs Geographical Indication tag issuance. Any company or commodity producer may apply for a GI tag. The application must include a geographical map of the territory or region in the country where the goods are manufactured, as well as the type of goods to which it will apply. It must be presented with a fee and in the proper format, as well as a signature.

The application will be evaluated and examined by authorities. A product with a GI tag prevents unauthorized use of the goods and increases the producers' financial gain by exporting the product. As exports increase, the price of a GI product rises on the international market. Section 21 of the GI Act states that registration confers the right to sue for infringement. Section 23 provides prima facie proof of the ownership and validity of GI.

According to the Act, the "Registrar of Geographical Indications" is the Controller-General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. The Controller General manages and supervises the Geographical Indications Registry.