A geographical indication is an intellectual property right used to identify products originating from a particular geographical area, whose quality, reputation, or other characteristics are inherently due to their geographical origin.
In India, intellectual property geographical indications are protected by the Goods Geographical Indications Act, 1999 (GI Act), and the Geographical Indications of Goods Regulations, 2002 (GI Rules). Notably, the first product to receive his GI label in India was Darjeeling tea from 2004-2005.
For many products, geographical indication is an important feature that benefits both manufacturers and consumers. As domestic and international trade expands, it becomes very likely that successful products will be copied by others.
