Geographical indications in India: Issues and challenges—An overview

• Author: Soumya Vinayan
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/jwip.12076
• Date: 01 July 2017
• Published date: 01 July 2017

DOI: 10.1111/jwip.12076

NOTE

Geographical indications in India: Issues and

challenges—An overview

Soumya Vinayan

Council for Social Development,

Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, India

Correspondence

Soumya Vinayan, Council for Social

Development, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad,

500030, India.

Email: soumyavinayan@gmail.com

Funding information

Indian Council of Social Science Research,

New Delhi

Intellectual Property Regime in India has been a much-

debated topic ever since India became a signatory to the

World Trade Organization in 1995. This has led to both the

enactment of new laws such as the Geographical Indications

Act of 1999 (GI Act) and Plant Varieties Protection Act 2001

as well as the amendment of old laws relating to intellectual

property in India, such as amendments to Patents Act 1970.

Geographical Indications (GIs) are used to identify goods as

originating from a particular region as a signifier of quality.

Thus, the geography, quality, and reputation of the good are

inextricably interlinked. This enables the producer to convey

the credentials of their products to the consumers in the

context of information asymmetry. This paper throws light

on the legal framework for the protection of origin labeled

products in India as Geographical Indications and highlights

the policy challenges and debates in the use and registration

of GIs under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registra-

tion and Protection) Act 1999.

KEYWORDS

geographical indications, India, registration

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INTRODUCTION

Geographical Indications (GI) is an important intellectual property right used in the realm of trade to highlight the

origin of the product which is exclusive to the territory, region, or locality where it is produced. It is a signifier of quality

through the use of origin and protects the interests of both the producers and the consumers. Set in the context of the

legislation of Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999, this paper seeks to examine

© 2017 The Authors. The Journal of World Intellectual Property © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

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