How having a GI tag can help stakeholders
Having a GI tag can really help, provided the execution is not reduced to being merely symbolic. Low awareness among rural stakeholders often limits benefits, allowing intermediaries to dominate profits
Updated At : 06:14 AM Sep 28, 2025 IST
Fast-tracked for a GI bid earlier this month, Amritsari Kulcha, a tandoor-baked, potato-stuffed flatbread, served with chhole, is a staple of Amritsar’s culinary heritage. Tribune photo: Sunil Kumar
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.
