Context :- The Commerce and Industry Ministry has slashed the Geographical Indications (GI) application fee from ₹5,000 to ₹1,000 to encourage wider registration of traditional crafts and products.
About : A GI tag identifies products originating from a specific geographical region that possess unique qualities, characteristics, or reputation linked to that origin.
Scope of Application:
GI tags cover agricultural, natural, and manufactured goods, including handicrafts, industrial products, and food items.
Legal Protection:
GI registration safeguards producers by preventing unauthorized use of the product name.
GI Status in India
- The first Indian GI tag was granted to Darjeeling Tea in 2004–05.
- As of August 2025, India has 697 GI-tagged products.
- Uttar Pradesh holds the highest number of GI tags, followed by Tamil Nadu.