Geographical Indication in India

A Geographical Indication is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin e.g., a town, region, or country. India, as a member of the World Trade Organization, enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect from 15 September 2003. GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) as: "indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a Member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin." The Geographical Indication tag ensures that none other than those registered as authorized users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name. Darjeeling tea was the first Geographical Indication recognized by Government of India in 2004–05. As of 2024, there are 603 registered geographical indications in India.