New GI Tags in India: India’s traditional artisans, indigenous farmers, and historic weavers have received a major economic and legal boost.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, the country registered 125 new Geographical Indication (GI) tags, scaling up the nationwide total to 822 registered products.
This significant milestone reflects an intensifying focus on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) across various state governments, academic chairs, and local cooperatives looking to safeguard regional identity and unlock global markets.
While Madhya Pradesh achieved the top spot for single-year additions, a collective regional surge from Eastern Indian states like West Bengal and Jharkhand dominated the latest registration cycle.
Inside the Numbers: Handicrafts and Heritage Dominating the Tally
New GI Tags in India: A Geographical Indication (GI) acts as a unique legal stamp and authenticity certificate.
Governed in India under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999 which aligns with the international standards of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property the tag ensures that only genuine producers from a specific region can use the product name.
Data reveals that India’s GI landscape remains heavily anchored in creative ancestry.
Out of the 822 total registered products in the country, handicrafts make up the largest share at 53%, followed closely by agricultural products at 31%. The remaining share belongs to manufactured products, natural items, and foodstuffs.
When analyzing cumulative historical totals, the leaderboard remains steady: Uttar Pradesh holds the highest number of historical registrations, with Tamil Nadu in second place, and West Bengal firmly in third.
Madhya Pradesh Secures the Top Spot for 2025-26
New GI Tags in India: Madhya Pradesh outpaced all other states by securing 26 new GI tags in a single fiscal window. The achievements of the state highlight a balanced focus on both distinct stone/metal arts and tribal agricultural conservation.
Among the notable handicraft additions from Madhya Pradesh are:
Khajuraho Stone Craft and Gwalior Stone Craft Handicraft
Betul Bharewa Metal Craft
Gwalior Paper Mache Craft
Equally vital are the four tribal crops that received legal protection, preserving the agricultural heritage of the Gond and Baiga communities:
Sitahi Kutki (a nutritious tribal staple)
Nagdaman Kutki (a staple food variety for indigenous communities)
Baigani Arhar (pigeon pea cultivated by the Baiga tribe)
Mahakoshal Chhatriya Chawal (Chhatriya Paddy)
Eastern India’s Resurgence: West Bengal and Jharkhand Leave a Strong Mark
The eastern wing of the country saw remarkable institutional collaboration. West Bengal secured the second-highest position with 24 new registrations, pushing its historical total to 59 GI tags, with an additional 14 applications currently in the pipeline.
More than half of West Bengal’s recent success (13 tags) was driven by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) IP Chair at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS).
Vice-Chancellor O.V. Nandimath noted that this academic push directly aligns with the institution’s mission to drive grassroots social change.
West Bengal’s new list spans a rich cultural and culinary spectrum:
Confectioneries & Foodstuffs: ‘Jalbhara’ Sandesh from Chandernagore, ‘Monohara’ from Janai, ‘Mecha’ Sandesh from Beliatore (Bankura), Banglar ‘Nolen Gur’, and Kanakchur popped rice.
Artisanal Crafts & Textiles: Santiniketan Batik, Santiniketan Ektara from Birbhum, the Clay Dolls of Krishnanagar, Sitalpati mats of Cooch Behar, the Bengal Singing Bowl from Bikrampur, Balagarh Boats from Hooghly, and Kolkatti Jewellery from Kolkata.
Kalyan Chakraborti, West Bengal’s Minister of Science and Technology, emphasized the economic path forward: “GI cannot just remain as an ornamentation.
We have to ensure that the quality of the product is maintained, and we are actively strategizing on how to market these products effectively.”
Simultaneously, Jharkhand registered 11 new GI tags, primarily targeting textiles and handicrafts through the Jharkhand Silk Textile and Handicraft Development Corporation (JHARCRAFT).
The new protections for Jharkhand include:
Tussar Silk Sarees, Kuchai Silk Sarees and Fabrics, and Bhagaiya Sarees.
Tribal Jewellery of Jharkhand, Bamboo Crafts, and Jharkhand Dokra Craft.
Culturally symbolic items like Dumka Chadar Badoni Puppets, Jharkhand Panchi Parhan Sarees, Kesharia Kalakand, Jharkhand Benam, and the iconic Jadupatia Paintings.
Garima Singh, IAS, Managing Director of JHARCRAFT, stated, “GI registrations protect the authenticity of these crafts. They are designed to open up both national and international corridors for our local artisans.”
She also confirmed that 12 more applications from Jharkhand are under official review.
Performance Across Other States
The wave of documentation swept through several other states and Union Territories during this cycle:
Himachal Pradesh performed exceptionally well, adding 13 new registrations.
Gujarat and the Union Territory of Ladakh claimed 7 new tags each.
Assam successfully protected 6 regional products.
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Goa maintained steady progress, adding 5 new GI tags each to their respective tallies.
Economic and Social Impact
Securing a GI tag goes far beyond simple documentation; it acts as an economic shield against counterfeiting and cheap imitations.
For rural communities, a GI tag translates directly into premium market positioning, allowing local weavers, sculptors, and farmers to command better pricing.
As these traditional sectors gain statutory protection, they create a sustainable framework for preserving India’s multi-layered cultural diversity while generating rural employment.