Geographical Indication (GI) Registration
GI registration protects the name of a product that owes its quality or reputation to a place, like Darjeeling Tea or Mysore Silk. An association of producers, or a body set up by law, files Form GI-1 with the GI Registry in Chennai. Producers then register as authorised users. Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed.
What it is
A geographical indication, or GI, is a name or sign on goods from a particular territory, region or locality, where their quality, reputation or other characteristics are essentially due to that place. Section 2(1)(e) of the GI Act covers agricultural, natural and manufactured goods. A GI belongs to the producers of that area as a community, not to any one business.
GI registration enters the GI in the Register of Geographical Indications under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and the GI Rules, 2002. The Register has two parts: Part A for the GIs themselves and Part B for authorised users. The GI Registry sits in Chennai, and the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks acts as the Registrar. Darjeeling Tea was application number 1; by 31 December 2025, India had 684 registered GIs.
Who it applies to
You speak for a group of producers
Under Section 11, any association of persons or producers that represents the interests of the producers of the goods can apply. This can be a cooperative, a registered society or a Section 8 company formed by the producers.
You are a body set up by law
Any organisation or authority established by or under any law can also apply if it represents the producers. This route suits a state department or board that works with them.
You make the product yourself
A single farmer, artisan or manufacturer cannot own a GI. What they can do is register as an authorised user under Section 17, once the GI is on the register.
Why it matters
Act against anyone who misuses the name
Once the GI is registered, the registered proprietor and every authorised user can bring an infringement action against misuse.
Keep the name for genuine producers
Section 21 gives authorised users the exclusive right to use the GI on the goods. Applying a false GI is an offence under Section 39, with imprisonment of six months to three years and a fine of ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh.
Build value that stays in the region
IP India calls GI protection a boost to exports and to producers’ prosperity. And since Section 24 bars assignment or licensing, nobody can buy the name and take it away.
Documents required
From the applicant body
- Registration certificate or constitution of the association, or the law that set up the authority
- Affidavit showing how it represents the producers
- Particulars of the producers to be registered first
- Form GI-10B authorisation where an agent files
On the product
- Statement of case: how the GI ties the goods to the territory, and why their quality or reputation is due to it
- Class and description of the goods
- Method of production and any special human skill or uniqueness of the environment
- Standards benchmark and the inspection structure for quality
Map and evidence
- Three certified copies of the geographical map of the area
- Particulars of how the GI appears: the word, and any logo
- Historical records and publications showing origin and reputation
Proprietor vs authorised user
| Registered proprietor | Authorised user | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Association of producers, or organisation or authority established by law | A producer of the goods |
| Form and fee | GI-1, ₹1,000 per class | GI-3, ₹10 |
| Main right | Can sue for infringement | Exclusive right to use the GI on the goods; can sue for infringement |
| Validity | 10 years, renewable | 10 years or until the GI’s registration expires, whichever is earlier |
Picture a cluster of handloom weavers in a Haryana district who want to protect a traditional weave. Their cooperative files as the registered proprietor. Each weaving unit that wants to sell under the GI name then registers as an authorised user, for ₹10.
The authorised user files Form GI-3 with a statement of case and an affidavit. Under Rule 56, a consent letter from the registered proprietor may go with it. These applications are advertised and can be opposed too, just like the main one.
How it works
Check that the GI can be registered
Section 9 bars GIs that are deceptive, contrary to law, scandalous, obscene, hurtful to religious sentiment or generic. We also confirm the applicant body qualifies under Section 11.
Build the statement of case and map
Most of the work lies here. Say a state handicrafts board is filing for a craft made in one district for generations. The statement of case under Rule 32 must show why the craft belongs to that district: old records, the special skill involved, the map, and how quality will be checked.
File Form GI-1 with the Chennai Registry
The form goes to the GI Registry with ₹1,000 per class, signed by the applicant body or its registered GI agent.
Answer scrutiny and examination
Deficiencies are fixed within one month (Rule 31). The Registrar usually forms a Consultative Group of up to seven experts (Rule 33). Objections are answered within two months, or a hearing sought (Rule 34).
Get through publication and opposition
Once accepted, the application is advertised in the Geographical Indications Journal. Anyone may oppose within three months, extendable by up to one month (Section 14).
Register the GI, then its producers
The Registrar registers the GI as of the date of the application (Section 16) and issues the certificate. Producers then apply as authorised users in Form GI-3.
Timelines
Fix deficiencies in one month, objections in two
One month from the notice to fix deficiencies found at preliminary scrutiny. Two months to reply to an examination objection or ask for a hearing. Miss it and the application is dismissed.
Watch the three-month opposition window
Anyone may oppose in Form GI-2 within three months of the Journal’s release, plus at most one more month in total.
Renew every 10 years
File Form GI-4 (₹500) not more than six months before expiry. A renewal within six months after expiry is possible with a ₹1,000 fee under the proviso to Section 18(4).
What happens if you don’t register or renew
You cannot sue for infringement
Section 20 bars any proceeding to prevent, or recover damages for, infringement of an unregistered GI. No registration, no infringement remedy under the Act.
The GI can be taken off the register
A GI that is not renewed can be removed from the register. Restoration needs Form GI-4B with a ₹1,000 fee plus the renewal fee.
Every authorised user loses cover
Here is the catch: an authorised user’s registration ends when the GI’s own registration expires, if that comes first. So if the filing association goes quiet and misses the renewal, producers lose cover through no fault of their own.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for GI registration in India?
Any association of persons or producers, or any organisation or authority established by or under any law, can apply under Section 11 if it represents the producers’ interests. That covers producer cooperatives, registered societies, artisans’ associations and government bodies. A single business cannot apply, but it can become an authorised user once the GI is registered. So every genuine producer in the region has a way in.
Can an individual producer own a GI?
No. A GI is a community right, and Section 24 bars its assignment, transmission, licensing, pledge or mortgage. An individual producer registers as an authorised user instead, in Form GI-3 with a ₹10 fee, a statement of case and an affidavit. Once registered, the authorised user has the exclusive right to use the GI on those goods.
How long is a GI registration valid?
A GI registration is valid for 10 years and can be renewed for further 10-year periods without limit. Renewal is filed in Form GI-4 with a ₹500 fee, not more than six months before expiry. If the date is missed, renewal within six months after expiry is possible with a ₹1,000 fee. An authorised user’s registration lasts 10 years or until the GI expires, whichever is earlier, and is renewed for ₹10.
What is the government fee for GI registration?
The fee is ₹1,000 per class for an application in Form GI-1, under the GI (Amendment) Rules, 2025 notified as G.S.R. 812(E) on 3 November 2025. An authorised user application in Form GI-3 costs ₹10, and renewal of the GI costs ₹500. A notice of opposition costs ₹1,000 per class. These are government fees only, so the official cost of filing stays modest.
Is GI registration compulsory?
No, it is not compulsory. But Section 20 bars proceedings to prevent, or recover damages for, infringement of an unregistered GI. Registration is what turns a local reputation into a right producers can enforce. The registered proprietor and authorised users can then act against misuse, and Section 39 punishes anyone who applies a false GI.
Where do we file, and who decides the application?
Applications go to the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai, including those from Haryana. The Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks is the Registrar. During examination, the Registrar usually forms a Consultative Group of up to seven experts to study the statement of case, ordinarily finishing within three months. We draft the replies to any queries the Registry raises.
Can someone oppose our GI application?
Yes. Once accepted, the application is advertised in the Geographical Indications Journal. Any person can oppose in Form GI-2 within three months, extendable by up to one month in total. The opposition fee is ₹1,000 per class. The applicant answers with a counter-statement in Form GI-2B. A well-documented statement of case leaves an opponent very little to work with.
How is a GI different from a trade mark?
A trade mark tells buyers which business made the goods; a GI tells them which place the goods come from. A trade mark has one owner and can be sold or licensed. A GI belongs to a region’s producers and, under Section 24, cannot be. A producer can hold both: an authorised user of a GI can also protect its own brand by registering a trade mark.
What are some examples of registered GIs?
Darjeeling Tea was application number 1 in the GI register. Others include Mysore Silk, Kancheepuram Silk and Banaras Brocades and Sarees. Basmati is a single GI covering areas of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. As on 31 December 2025, India had 684 registered GIs, so there is plenty of precedent to learn from.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Government fees under the GI (Amendment) Rules, 2025 (G.S.R. 812(E), 3 November 2025):
| Filing | Form | Government fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application for GI registration | GI-1 | ₹1,000 per class |
| Notice of opposition | GI-2 | ₹1,000 per class |
| Authorised user registration | GI-3 | ₹10 |
| Renewal of an authorised user | GI-3 | ₹10 |
| Renewal of the GI | GI-4 | ₹500 |
| Renewal within six months after expiry | GI-4 | ₹1,000 |
| Restoration | GI-4 | ₹1,000 plus renewal fee |
| Search, per class | GI-5 | ₹500 |
Ready to begin?
Tell us the product, the place and who speaks for its producers, and we will plan the statement of case and the GI filing with you.