India is home to hundreds of Geographical Indication (GI) tags, which link a product to a specific region and prevent others from falsely claiming its origin. Here are five famous Indian foods and the legal battles behind their GI tags.
The dispute began after India secured a GI tag for Basmati, prompting Pakistan to seek recognition. India retains the GI registration while the battle continues.
Sparked a years-long GI battle between West Bengal and Odisha. Eventually, both states recieved distinct tags for the Banglar Rasogolla and Odisha Rasagola.
It held a GI tag with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams as its proprietor, which raised questions over whether a GI could be granted to a single institution.
The Tea Board of India fought many legal battles over international companies using the 'Darjeeling' name and logo. Now it is one of India's most protected GI products.
It holds a GI tag for the regions of Ratnagiri and Devgad. A dispute arose when famers outside the Konkan belt wanted to market 'Valsad Hapus' under the same tag.