India’s Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Piyush Goyal, has announced an ambitious goal of achieving 10,000 Geographical Indication (GI) tags by 2030. Speaking at the GI Samagam event in New Delhi, organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and India Today Group, he detailed plans for a coordinated government approach, including the formation of a dedicated committee to ensure effective implementation. Currently, the department has issued 605 GI tags.
Highlighting the progress made under Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s leadership, Mr. Goyal noted the transformation of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) landscape. Over the past decade, the number of authorised GI users has increased from 365 to 29,000, while patents granted have surged from 6,000 to 100,000. He reiterated Prime Minister Modi’s vision of ‘Vikas bhi aur Virasat bhi’ (Development and Heritage) and lauded initiatives like the ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio program in promoting GI products.
The minister commended Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra for their efforts in advancing GI branding and acknowledged improvements in human resources and process digitisation within the department. Stressing the need for better branding, he proposed collaborations with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to ensure superior quality and counter fake products.
To strengthen the marketing of GI products, he suggested leveraging platforms like the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), and popular e-commerce sites. He also recommended showcasing these products at Indian embassies worldwide to enhance exports and global recognition.
