Geographical Indications in Rajasthan

Last year Molela clay art from village Molela near town of Nathdwara in Rajsamand was in NEWS for approval of geographical indication (GI). This article deals with what exactly are geographical indications, what is the relevance and what are the registered geographical indications in Rajasthan.

What is Geographical Indication (GI) ?

A geographical indication (GI) 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). GI’s have been defined in GIs have been defined under Article 22(1) of the WTO  Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights(TRIPS) Agreement. A GI is registered for an initial period of ten years, which may be renewed from time to time.

India being member of WTO enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 or protection of geographical indications in India. The act came into force with effect from 15th September 2003. Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to get the geographical indication tag.

What is the Significance of GI Tag ?

Like other intellectual properties rights (example: Copyright, Patent, Trademark etc.), Geographical Indication Tag also provides similar rights and protection to holders. The GI tag ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name.

Geographical Indications in Rajasthan

Read Ahead:

•  List of registered Geographical Indications (GI) in India PDF