Most Indians are familiar with Basmati Rice (Indo-Gangetic plains), Kolhapuri Chappal (Maharashtra/Karnataka), Tirupathi Laddu (Andhra Pradesh), Bankura Horse (West Bengal), and Makrana Marble (Rajasthan), known for their assured quality, authenticity and cultural heritage. While these products differ from each other not just in terms of their make, but also in terms of their geographical origins, all of them have a common factor, as all these products are registered as GI (Geographical Indication)-tagged products.
According to the WTO TRIPS Agreement, “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 characteristics of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin”.
A GI tag is more than a label; it is a stamp of identity and a legal safeguard for traditional wealth. It can raise artisans’ incomes, bring them greater recognition and provide better economic returns for their craftsmanship. GI recognition serves as a powerful symbol of quality and cultural distinctiveness. Once consumers search for authentic products representing a region/locality, GI-tagged products save them from falling prey to counterfeits. This pre-purchase scrutiny by consumers enhances the products’ market appeal and enables artisans to strengthen their bargaining power.
GI-tagged products not only attract greater visibility and access to premium markets, but can even force major global brands to give these a priority to enhance their diversity in product mix. For example, iconic global Italian fashion brand Prada launched a limited-edition collection of leather sandals called ‘Made in India inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals’. It also funded a three-year training initiative in collaboration with Prada Group and design institutes like NIFT and KILT to upskill 180 local artisans, with top artisan participants eligible for advanced training at the Prada Group Academy in Italy.
India, in terms of geographical area, is known as a sub-continent. However, according to available data, it has so far registered only 800 GI products and out of these, 607 GIs have been granted since 2014 across categories such as handicraft products, agricultural products, manufactured goods, food products and natural products. When it comes to the number of GI -tagged products, Uttar Pradesh leads the race at 81. It is followed by Tamil Nadu (76) and Maharashtra (55).
In handicrafts, 445 handicraft products and 27 product logos have been registered as of December, 2025. Examples include Pashmina (Jammu and Kashmir), Baluchari Saree (West Bengal), Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft (Uttar Pradesh), and Alleppey Coir (Keralam).
In agricultural products, 251 products have been registered, spanning a diverse range of crops, including cereals, fruits, vegetables, spices, and non-basmati rice. In manufacturing products, 64 products have been registered, such as Nashik Valley Wine and Kannauj Perfume.
In the food products category, 66 food products, comprising prepared, cooked, or processed delicacies, are GI -tagged. West Bengal’s Bardhaman Mihidana and Sitabhog, Odisha’s Kendrapara Rasabali, Keralam’s Wayanad Robusta Coffee, and Andhra Pradesh’s famous Tirupathi Laddu are some notable examples. In the group of natural products, Rajasthan’s Makrana Marble, Uttar Pradesh’s Chunar Balua Patthar, West Bengal’s Lac of Purulia, Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Diamond and Gujarat’s Ambaji White Marble are significant examples of GI-tagged products.
To showcase India’s rich cultural diversity at global fora, efforts are being made to bring more products within the ambit of GI. Through the 2025 amendment, the fee for filing GI applications and related processes has been reduced by 80 per cent. The renewal fee for the GI tag has also been cut from ₹3,000 to ₹500. With a target of 10,000 GI registrations by 2030, India is striving to strengthen its heritage economy and enhance the global presence of its unique regional products in the highly competitive export segment.
Now, as India has several leading export destinations for its GI products, such as the UAE, the UK, the USA, Italy, Bahrain, Qatar, South Korea and more countries through FTAs that are in the pipeline to join the list, an integrated approach among GI tags, FTAs, AI and DigiTech is the need of the hour to utilise the full potential of the country’s export sector.
FTAs open international markets by reducing tariffs between the partner countries. Each partner looks for authentic and unique products for its consumers through FTAs. This brings the importance of GI -tagged products to the fore as they infuse local heritage into global trade on demand. Furthermore, to meet the requirements under the FTA framework, AI comes into the picture. AI can spot unauthorised or fake GI-tagged products, integrate blockchain and big data analytics to track products from local producers to foreign ports with transparency, and forecast global demand trends for the benefit of all stakeholders in the export sector.
FTAs aim at not just reducing tariffs and simplifying trade rules between member countries, they also help local GI-products access foreign markets at much lower costs. Reflecting their growing prominence, GIs have assumed significance in India’s trade negotiations. After the India-Oman CEPA was signed, 3 metric tonnes of GI-tagged Indi Lime from Karnataka were exported to Oman in December, 2025. This indicates the value addition offered by GI-tagging.
India–New Zealand trade agreement is also expected to provide the much-needed boost to the registration of India’s GI products, an opportunity currently accorded only to the European Union (EU). The move will help safeguard formal GI protection for Indian products such as Darjeeling Tea, Basmati Rice, and region-specific handicrafts in the New Zealand market.
On a deeper look, it becomes clear that there are numerous linkages among GI tags, FTAs and AI. Some of these are being listed as follows. AI-enabled technologies and tools scan global e-commerce sites to find fake items that use protected GI names without permission. Trade deals add strict rules to protect GIs in partner countries, making it easier for local manufacturers to export. AI speeds up border checks and paperwork for products moving under the FTA rules, ensuring GI goods meet the rules of origin (RoOs) standards. GI, FTAs and AI are the future pillars of an evolving bridge between tradition and opportunity. With the passage of time, these interconnections will bring a sea change in the traditional way of doing trade among nations. For this, greater awareness among producers to register their products as GI-tagged products and a coordinated push both by the Governments and private stakeholders to inform and educate local producers about the upcoming scenario are a must.
Awareness must be generated at the grassroots level with the help of NGOs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and rural and urban local bodies. Their efforts can be monitored by the district and state administrations to ensure the genuineness of claims being forwarded for GI registration.
The author is Assistant Professor (Economics & Trade Policy), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
