The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry has announced an ambitious target to reach 10,000 Geographical Indication (GI) Tags by 2030. This announcement was made at the GI Samagam organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the India Today Group. A press release was issued on January 22, 2025 marking this event.
Speaking at the event, the Minister outlined a robust roadmap for achieving this target, emphasizing a “whole of government approach” and announcing the formation of a dedicated committee to oversee the progress.
Currently, the number of GI tags issued stands at 605, making the 2030 target a significant leap forward.
Strengthening the IPR Ecosystem
The Minister lauded the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) ecosystem advancements and highlighted the dramatic rise in authorized GI tag users from 365 to 29,000 and an exponential increase in patents granted, growing from 6,000 to 100,000 over the past decade.
Key Initiatives to Drive GI Expansion
The Minister elaborated on several initiatives aimed at boosting the GI ecosystem:
- National Research Foundation & ODOP Scheme
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation Fund and the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme were highlighted as transformative efforts to promote local and regional specialties. - Improved Efficiency and Capacity
The Minister praised the expansion of departmental manpower and the streamlining of processes through digitization, enabling faster, time-bound approvals. - State-Level Achievements
He acknowledged the remarkable efforts of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra in promoting GI-tagged products, setting benchmarks for other states to follow.
Branding, Quality, and Counterfeit Prevention
Stressing the importance of better branding for GI products, the Minister urged for collaboration with regulatory bodies like the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to ensure superior quality and authenticity. He emphasized that this approach would combat counterfeit goods and enhance consumer trust.
Promotion, Marketing, and Export Potential
The Minister proposed several strategies to boost the visibility and marketability of GI products:
- Partnering with railways, airports, and private organizations for display and sale of GI-tagged items.
- Listing GI products on platforms like Government e-Marketplace (GeM) , Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), and major e-commerce portals.
- Utilizing Indian embassies abroad to display GI-tagged products, similar to the ODOP initiative, to unlock export potential.
