Many goods possess their particular properties due to their geographical origin. GI is the best method to indicate the geographical origin of goods and services. Many agricultural products; dairy products, wines and spirits owe their special quality and reputation to their geographical place of growth or processing.

1. GI Protection
- Anshu Kesharwani
-Sonali Aggarwal

2. What is GI?
• Many goods possess their particular properties due to
their geographical origin.
• GI is the best method to indicate the geographical origin
of goods and services.
• Many agricultural products; dairy products, wines and
spirits owe their special quality and reputation to their
geographical place of growth or processing.

3. What is GI?
• Geographical indications are valuable rights, which if
not adequately protected, can be misused by
dishonest commercial operators to the detriment of
both the consumers and the legitimate users.
• The TRIPS ( Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights)defines GIs as ‘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 characteristic of the
good is essentially attributable to its geographical
origin’ (Article 22).

4. Why protect GIs?
Under Article 22, the scope of protection is
composed of three aspects:
• Protection against the use of indications that mislead the
public or are deceptive
• Protection against the use of indications in a manner
that are acts of unfair competition
• Refusal or invalidation of trademarks that contain or
consist of indications, where it may mislead the public.

5. How to file an application for GI?

6. GI in India
GIs have been used in India for a wide variety of products
such as:
• Basmati Rice,
• Darjeeling Tea,
• Kangra Tea,
• Feni,
• Alphonso Mango,
• Kanchipuram Silk Saree,
• Kohlapuri Chappal, etc.

7. Duration
• A Geographical Indication is
registered for a period of ten years
and the registration may be renewed
from time to time for a period of 10
years at a time.

8. In India
• In terms of geographical distribution of GIs in
India, most GIs have been registered from the
southern states. The state of Karnataka has
been the forerunner in registration of GIs
followed by the states of Andhra Pradesh,
Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Products from other states are getting
registered now

9. In India
• Since 2009, 8 foreign (7 manufactured and 1 food)
products have been accorded the status of registered GI
under the Indian Act.
• These are Champagne and Cognac from France,
Scotch Whisky from the United Kingdom, Napa Valley
wines from the United States of America, Douro wine
from Portugal, Peruvian Pisco from Peru and Prosciutto
di Parma from Italy.

10. Some Examples

11. Bhagalpur Silk - (Bihar)

12. Darjeeling Tea- (West Bengal)

13. Malabar Pepper- (Kerela)

14. Caju Feni:
(Goa)

15. Challenges
• An important dimension of GI is that it does not
protect knowledge or technology as such. It only
protects the name or indication. This essentially
means that the famous Banarasi sari can be
produced anywhere in the world but it cannot be
named ‘Banarasi sari’. For a price-conscious
consumer, it might not make much sense to buy
GI certified products at a premium, if the same
product is available elsewhere.

16. THANK YOU