Geographical Indications (GIs) are registered as per the provisions of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999. As on 24.12.2018, 330 GIs have been registered.

The Government has undertaken several steps for promotion of Indian products registered as GIs like participation in trade fairs and other events to promote and create awareness on GIs and increase the sales of GI products, promotion of GIs through social media, involving State governments and Union Territory administration and other relevant organizations for facilitation of GI producers.

Authorized Users are registered as per the provisions of Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999. Till 30.11.2018, the GI Registry, Chennai has received 4850 GI authorized user applications, out of which 3607 GI authorized users have been registered. The remaining 1243 pending applications have already been examined and report issued to the applicants to remedy deficiencies, which include providing supporting documents and complete applicant details.

In order to spread awareness for registration of GI authorised users, awareness programmes are conducted for concerned stakeholders at various places in the country.

The processing of an application for registering a geographical indication for any goods involves issuing of a preliminary examination report to remedy deficiencies in the application, if any. Thereafter, a consultative group comprising of subject experts is constituted to evaluate and ascertain the correctness of the particulars furnished in the application and its supporting documents. Based on the recommendations by the consultative group, an examination report is issued to the applicant. After necessary compliances to conditions and removal of objections, if any, the application is accepted and published for public to file opposition, if any, within the stipulated period. If no opposition is received, or if it is disposed off in favour of the applicant, the GI is registered.

In the case of an application for registration as authorized user, it is examined and deficiencies, if any, communicated to the applicant. Once these are removed, the application is registered.

The onus of removing the deficiencies and complying with the conditions lies with the applicant, the time taken for which may delay the disposal of the application.

The online system of filing GI applications is operational since March, 2015. However, examination of the application is done offline. There is no proposal to make the system of examination online.

This information was given by the Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, C. R. Chaudhary, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Geographical indications registration requires applicant compliance, expert consultative review and publication for public opposition. Registration under the Geographical Indications Act proceeds through preliminary examination, issuance of deficiency reports, expert consultative group evaluation, issuance of examination reports, applicant compliance and publication for public opposition; authorized user applications follow a similar defect-notice-and-registration process, with the applicant bearing the onus of removing deficiencies. The GI Registry provides online filing but conducts examination offline, and promotional measures include trade fairs, social media and stakeholder awareness programmes.