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The Ministry of MSME and DPIIT signed a Memorandum of Understanding on August 5, 2026 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi.
The MoU aims to widen market access for Geographical Indication products.
GI collectives and authorised users will be onboarded on ONDC and GeM under a 'Bharat GI' banner.
The One District One Product ecosystem will be integrated into programme design.
GI registration in India is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, with DPIIT as the nodal department.
A GI is a sign used on goods that originate from a specific place and possess qualities, reputation or characteristics attributable to that origin. Unlike a trademark, which identifies a single producer, a GI belongs collectively to producers in the region — which is why the MoU speaks of GI 'collectives' and 'authorised users' rather than individual firms. Darjeeling Tea and the Kanchipuram Silk Saree are familiar Indian examples.
Simple Analogy: A trademark says who made it; a GI says where it came from, and that the place is what makes it what it is.
Provides legal protection for GI products in India and governs their registration.
Administers GI registration; the MoU links its legal and administrative framework to the MSME Ministry's enterprise support systems.
Create an open, interoperable network for digital commerce rather than a single platform
Key: GI collectives and authorised users will be onboarded under the 'Bharat GI' banner
Serve as the Government of India's public procurement portal for goods and services
Key: Gives GI producers access to government buyers
Promote a distinctive product from each district to support local manufacturing and artisan clusters
Key: Its ecosystem will be integrated into the MoU's programme design
GS Paper III > Indian Economy > Intellectual Property Rights and Industrial Policy
General Awareness > Economy and Government Schemes
General Awareness > MSME and Government Initiatives
A sign used on goods having a specific geographical origin and possessing qualities or a reputation due to that origin.
A producer within the GI region formally registered as entitled to use the GI tag.
Open Network for Digital Commerce — an open, interoperable network for e-commerce transactions rather than a single marketplace.
One District One Product — a district-level framework promoting a distinctive local product.