New Delhi: The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the commercialisation and market access of Geographical Indication (GI) products across India.
The agreement was signed on August 5, 2026, at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi by Md. Salik Parwaiz, Director, Ministry of MSME, and Shri Karan Thapar, Director, IPR Division, DPIIT, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.
Key Areas of the Collaboration
The collaboration seeks to build a coordinated framework for taking GI products beyond geographical and local markets and supporting their development as commercially viable and export-ready products.
- Under the MoU, the two organisations will work together on:
- Commercialisation and wider market penetration of Indian GI products.
- Quality standardisation to strengthen the market readiness of GI products.
- Onboarding GI collectives and authorised users on digital commerce platforms.
- Integrating GI products with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
- Creating a dedicated “Bharat GI” banner for GI products on these platforms.
- Organising and co-sponsoring GI Pavilions at national and international trade expos, exhibitions and buyer-seller meets.
- Supporting capacity building and digital enablement for artisans, weavers and producer collectives.
GI Protection to Be Linked With Enterprise Development
DPIIT is the nodal department for the registration and legal protection of GIs under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, while the Ministry of MSME supports MSMEs, traditional industries and artisans.
The MoU brings these roles together to link GI protection with enterprise development and wider market access.
‘Bharat GI’ to Connect Regional Products With Digital Markets
A key component of the agreement is the planned onboarding of GI collectives and authorised users on ONDC and GeM under the dedicated “Bharat GI” banner.
The initiative is intended to provide GI producers with additional avenues to showcase and sell region-specific products through digital commerce and government procurement platforms.
The collaboration will also support the participation of GI producers in:
- National and international trade exhibitions
- Buyer-seller meets
- Dedicated GI Pavilions
- Domestic and global marketing initiatives
Focus on Artisans, Weavers and Producer Collectives
The MoU places emphasis on improving market opportunities for indigenous artisans, weavers and producers associated with GI products.
According to the government, the collaboration will support capacity building, digital enablement and improved access to markets while helping GI products reach premium domestic and international markets.
The initiative will also strengthen the One District One Product (ODOP) ecosystem by incorporating GI-related products into programme design and interventions.
Strengthening India’s GI Ecosystem
The MoU seeks to link GI protection with enterprise development and market access, supporting regional products, traditional industries and producer communities.
The partnership will connect GI products with digital commerce, government procurement and domestic and international marketing channels, in line with the broader objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local.
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