Role and Impact of Geographical Indication Laws in India

Geographical Indications (GI) of goods are a definite kind of validation given in the form of certificates to goods that possess characteristics and reputation derived solely from their place of origin. India is a country where culture and tradition are deeply ingrained in the lives of the masses. GIs have an immense role in protecting traditional knowledge, acknowledging creators’ rights, laying out legal protection, and stopping breaches of those legal rights. In India, the local communities are the primary beneficiaries, and they are the central figures who contribute to producing and delivering the GI-tagged goods to the consumers. However, the primary purpose of GI registrations has not been achieved completely. The provisions have not been successful in upholding the rights and interests of the rural community, who are the real producers, to the maximum extent. The author aims to explore how far the laws have provided protection to the GI products and the GI owners. To that end, an endeavor has been made by the author to study whether the implementation system is adequately effective or not. This paper contains case studies on some lesser-known as well as a few well-known GI tagged items, so that a clear picture of the existing scenario can be portrayed. The author has tried to point out the drawbacks and roadblocks in the system, and finally, a few suggestions have been made for bringing positive changes in the system.