'272 products registered as geographical indication so far'

As many as 272 products such as Sangli raisins, Banaras metal repousse craft and Beed custard apple have been registered as geographical indications since September 2003, according to a government data.
Under Geographical Indication (GI) law, a product is identified as a good or an item manufactured or produced in a particular region. It enjoys the specific reputation which is attributable to that geographical region.
It is a legal right under which the GI holder can prohibit others from using the same name.
The data of the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, under the Commerce and Industry Ministry, also showed that during this fiscal so far, 11 products have been registered as GI from states including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. In 2015-16, 26 items got GI status.

The famous goods which carry this tag include Basmati rice, Darjeeling Tea, Chanderi Fabric, Mysore Silk, Kullu Shawl, Kangra Tea, Thanjavur Paintings, Allahabad Surkha, Farrukhabad Prints, Lucknow Zardozi and Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving.
The ministry stated that such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributed to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality, region or country.

Under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, geographical indications are covered as an element of intellectual property rights (IPRs).
They are also covered under the WTO's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement.

India's Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act 1999, has come into force with effect from September 15, 2003.