India has added over 600 GI tags in 12 years: Pabitra Margherita at ‘GI & Beyond 2.0’ Summit

Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita on August 5 said India has witnessed a major expansion in the registration of Geographical Indication (GI) products over the past 12 years, with the total number of GI-tagged products crossing 820.

Speaking at the ‘GI & Beyond 2.0’ Summit in New Delhi, Margherita said India had only around 200 GI tags until 2014, while more than 600 new products have received the recognition since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office.

“More than 820 products of India are now GI-tagged. I am very proud to say that till 2014, there were only 200 GI tags. But as and when Prime Minister Modi took charge as the Pradhan Sevak of this country, during these 12 years, we have added more than 600 GI tags,” he said.

The minister said a GI tag represents much more than an intellectual property certification, as it carries the identity, cultural heritage and civilisational strength of a region.

“A GI tag is not only an intellectual property certificate. It is a document which carries our identity, our cultural heritage, our region and our civilisational strength,” Margherita said.

He added that GI recognition plays an important role in preserving India’s traditional knowledge, indigenous products and regional heritage while also helping local producers gain wider recognition and access to new markets.

The ‘GI & Beyond 2.0’ Summit focused on strengthening the value, visibility and market potential of India’s GI-tagged products and promoting them at national and international platforms.