Tamil Nadu finalises IPR policy with focus on Geographical Indications to boost economy

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

Speaking at the National GI Summit held at the IIT-Madras campus, Vincent said the policy aims to strengthen the protection, promotion and commercialisation of the state's intellectual property assets. Tamil Nadu has set a target to reach a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036, and GI will play a crucial role in this, he pointed out. During the financial year 2025-26, Tamil Nadu has filed a total of 43 GI registration applications, of which 11 were filed by the Patent Information Centre of TNSCST. The event was organised by the Technology Transfer Office, IIT-Madras, in association with the Geographical Indications Registry Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks.

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

P.S. Harikrishnaraj, General Manager of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), said the institution has so far extended support worth ₹10.38 crore for GI products, covering not only GI registration but also post-registration activities. “We also conduct impact assessment studies to evaluate the benefits of GI-tagged products. Based on these findings, we have introduced several support schemes. In addition, our incubation centres facilitate both GI registration and post-GI activities. We are now focused on strengthening the overall ecosystem for GI products,” he said, adding that nearly one in every five GI products in the country has received NABARD’s support.

Citing the example of Virudhunagar Samba Vathal, Harikrishnaraj said NABARD’s intervention went beyond facilitating the GI tag. “We worked on backward linkages, including ensuring the availability of quality seeds and helping producers adopt suitable packaging. We also established a processing unit in Virudhunagar, enabling 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, Assistant Director of the Spice Board, Tamil Nadu Region, pointed out how spices from North Eastern states have bagged GI tags. Citing Lakadong turmeric from Meghalaya as an example, he said the variety is known for its high curcumin content of more than 7%. He noted that spice exports have witnessed significant growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. “In the last financial year, India exported more than 17 lakh metric tonnes of spices,” he said. He also stressed the need to integrate GI products with the tourism sector to enhance their visibility and market value.

N. Sreedhar, Executive Director of the Handloom Export Promotion Council, highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in preserving and promoting traditional knowledge. He also said AI could simplify the process of tracing and compiling historical evidence required for GI registration. Many GI products have been produced using time-tested techniques that have evolved over generations. “There may be some differences in manufacturing techniques. This can be documented. This will help the next generation to understand how their ancestors did the work,” Sreedhar said.

Tapan Kumar Rout, Director of the Textiles Committee, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, said: “We are coming out with an AI-enabled dashboard that will help artisans identify authorised users and protect their intellectual property.”