Ø 'Bharat GI' Banner Launched: Ministry
of MSME and DPIIT to Bring Regional GI Products to ONDC and GeM
·
MoU signed: Ministry of MSME and DPIIT
signed an MoU on 5 August 2026 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, to strengthen
the commercialisation and market access of India’s Geographical
Indication (GI) products.
·
‘Bharat GI’ banner: A dedicated “Bharat GI” banner
will be used to promote GI products on the ONDC and Government e-Marketplace
(GeM) platforms.
·
DPIIT’s role: DPIIT is the nodal department for registration
and legal protection of GI products under the Geographical Indications of Goods
(Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
·
MSME Ministry’s role: The Ministry
of MSME focuses on the growth and development of MSMEs, traditional industries
and artisans.
·
Commercialisation focus: The partnership
aims to transform GI products from largely localised products
into commercially viable, scalable and export-ready enterprises.
·
Quality & market penetration: Joint efforts
will focus on quality standardisation, capacity building,
digital enablement and wider market penetration.
·
ONDC & GeM onboarding: GI collectives
and authorised users will be facilitated to onboard onto
ONDC and GeM, providing access to larger domestic
and institutional markets.
·
GI exhibitions: Both organisations
will support dedicated GI Pavilions at national and international trade expos,
exhibitions and buyer-seller meets.
·
ODOP integration: One District One Product (ODOP)
will be integrated into programme design and interventions
to strengthen district-level GI ecosystems.
·
Benefits to artisans: The initiative
is expected to improve market access, income opportunities and livelihoods
for artisans, weavers, indigenous producers and GI collectives.
·
Global market access: The collaboration
aims to connect Indian GI products with premium domestic and international markets,
supporting their export potential.
·
Overall significance: The MoU aligns
DPIIT’s intellectual property protection role with MSME enterprise development,
strengthening India’s GI ecosystem and supporting the objectives of Aatmanirbhar
Bharat and Vocal for Local.
[ABS News Service/11.08.2026]
In a significant
step towards unlocking the economic potential of India's rich heritage of Geographical
Indication (GI) products, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and
the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 05th
August,2026 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. The MoU was signed by Md. Salik Parwaiz,
Director, Ministry of MSME and Karan Thapar, Director, IPR Division, DPIIT, in the
presence of senior officials of both organisations.
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, while 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
while the legal registration of GIs protects regional identity, maximising their
economic value requires a coordinated effort to transition these 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, thereby enhancing
the livelihoods of indigenous artisans, weavers and producers, while also strengthening
the One District One Product (ODOP) ecosystem in the country.
As joint initiatives,
both organisations will work towards integrating ODOP in their programme design
and interventions, collaboratively facilitate the onboarding of 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,
and co-sponsor dedicated GI Pavilions at national and international trade expos,
buyer-seller meets and exhibitions for domestic and global marketing of GI products.
The MoU represents
a significant step towards aligning the Department for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade’s (DPIIT) mandate for intellectual property protection with the Ministry
of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises’ (MSME) mandate for enterprise development.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen India’s Geographical Indications (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, contributing
to the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local.