Ministry of MSME and DPIIT sign Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate commercialization and global market access of India’s Geographical Indication (GI) products
‘Bharat GI’ Banner Launched: Ministry of MSME and DPIIT to Bring Regional GI Products to ONDC and GeM
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 5 August 2026 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. The agreement marks a significant step towards unlocking the economic potential of India’s rich heritage of Geographical Indication (GI) products.
Signing Details
Md. Salik Parwaiz, Director, Ministry of MSME, and Shri Karan Thapar, Director, IPR Division, DPIIT, signed the MoU. Senior officials from both organisations attended the signing.
Two Mandates, One Framework
DPIIT is the nodal department for the registration and legal protection of Geographical Indications in India under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Ministry of MSME is the nodal ministry for steering the growth, financial health and overall development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, traditional industries and artisans across the country.
Both sides recognise that legal registration of GIs protects regional identity. But maximising their economic value requires a coordinated effort. This effort must transition GI products from localised crafts into scalable, commercially viable and export-ready enterprises.
The MoU accordingly establishes a collaborative framework to accelerate the commercialisation, quality standardisation and market penetration of Indian GI products. This will enhance the livelihoods of indigenous artisans, weavers and producers, while also strengthening the One District One Product (ODOP) ecosystem in the country.
Joint Initiatives Under the MoU
As joint initiatives, both organisations will work towards integrating ODOP into their programme design and interventions. They will collaboratively onboard GI collectives and authorised users onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) under a dedicated “Bharat GI” banner. They will also co-sponsor dedicated GI Pavilions at national and international trade expos, buyer-seller meets and exhibitions for domestic and global marketing of GI products.
India’s Growing GI Ecosystem
India’s GI journey began in 2004, when Darjeeling Tea became the country’s first registered Geographical Indication. Two decades on, India now counts more than 650 registered GI products, spanning agricultural goods, handicrafts, textiles and foodstuffs from every corner of the country. Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra currently lead the state-wise rankings.
Despite this growth, most GI holders remain small artisan collectives and cooperatives with limited access to organised retail, e-commerce or export markets. Many GI products still sell primarily through local markets or fragmented, unbranded channels. This gap between legal recognition and commercial reach is exactly what the new MoU sets out to close, by giving GI producers a direct, structured route onto national digital commerce platforms.
What the MoU Means Going Forward
The MoU represents a significant step towards aligning DPIIT’s mandate for intellectual property protection with the MSME Ministry’s mandate for enterprise development. The collaboration will strengthen India’s GI ecosystem by facilitating capacity building, digital enablement and enhanced market access for artisans, weavers and producer collectives.
It will further support the integration of GI products with premium domestic and international markets. This contributes directly to the government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local.
