Tamil Nadu to implement IPR policy with focus on GI products

A panel discussion at the National GI Summit held in Chennai recently. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Tamil Nadu is in the final stages of formulating its Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy, which will also include Geographical Indications (GI), according to S. Vincent, Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Council of Science and Technology (TNSCST).

Addressing the National GI Summit held at the IIT-M campus, he said the policy aims to strengthen the protection, promotion and commercialization of the state’s intellectual property assets. Tamil Nadu has set a target of achieving a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036 and GI will play a key role in this, he pointed out. During the financial year 2025-26, Tamil Nadu filed a total of 43 applications for registration of geographical indications, of which 11 were filed by the Patent Information Centre, TNSCST. The event was organized by the Office of Technology Transfer, IIT-Madras, in collaboration with the Geographical Indications Registry office of the Comptroller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks.

M. Senthilkumar, Director of Research, Coffee Board, told The Hindu that so far seven different varieties of coffee have received the GI label. Araku Valley Arabica, Wayanad Robusta, Coorg Arabica, Bababudangiri Arabica and Chikmagalur Arabica are some of the varieties that have received the label. “There are multiple varieties of coffee that have the potential to get the label. For example, Shevaroys Arabica Coffee,” he added. The GI application for Shevaroys Arabica Coffee was filed in 2025.

PS Harikrishnaraj, CEO, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), said the institution has so far extended ₹ 10.38 crore support for GI products, which covers not only GI registration but also post-registration activities. “We are also conducting impact assessment studies to evaluate the benefits of GI products. Based on these findings, we have introduced several support schemes. Besides, our incubation centers facilitate both GI registration and post-GI activities. We are now focusing on strengthening the overall ecosystem for GI products,” he said, adding that almost every fifth GI product in the country has received NABARD support.

Citing the example of Virudhunagar Samba Vathal, Mr. Harikrishnaraj said NABARD’s intervention went beyond facilitating GI designation. “We have worked on feedbacks, including ensuring availability of quality seeds and helping producers to adopt suitable packaging. We have also set up a processing unit in Virudhunagar that has enabled around 700 farmers to bring their produce to a common facility where it can be processed into chilli powder and other value-added products,” he said.

S. Senthil Kumaran, Deputy Director, Spice Board, Tamil Nadu Region, pointed out how spices from North Eastern states have bagged GI labels. He cited Lakadong turmeric from Meghalaya as an example and said that this variety is known for its high curcumin content of more than 7%. He noted that spice exports have seen a significant increase since the COVID-19 pandemic. “In the last financial year, India exported more than 17 million tonnes of spices,” he said. He also emphasized the need to integrate GI products with the tourism sector to increase their visibility and market value.

N. Sreedhar, Executive Director, Handloom Export Promotion Council, highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in preserving and promoting traditional knowledge. He also said that AI could simplify the process of tracking and compiling the historical evidence needed to register a GI. Many GI products are made using time-tested techniques that have been developed over generations. “Maybe there are some differences in production techniques. This can be documented. This will help the next generation to understand how their ancestors did the work,” Mr Sreedhar said.

Tapan Kumar Rout, Director, Textiles Committee, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, said, “We are coming up with an AI-powered dashboard that will help artisans identify authorized users and access information on GI registered products. Mr. Rout noted that while nearly 50 million artisans are associated with GI registered products across the country,” said only 20,000 people need to speed up the registration process.

According to IPR lawyer P. Sanjai Gandhi, Tamil Nadu has secured Geographical Indication (GI) labels for around 69 products.

Published – 20 Jun 2026 01:09 IST