Draft explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Three parts of the September 2026 draft Guidelines for Filing a GI Application deal with the heart of the file: the specification and description of the product, the geographical area and its link with the product, and the proof of origin. This article explains what the draft proposes for each and how a producer body can prepare.
This is a draft published for comments (September 2026); it is not final, it is not law and does not have the force of law; the Act and the Rules as now in force prevail. The current position should be checked on ipindia.gov.in.
Under the draft, the specification should tie the product's quality, reputation or characteristics to its origin and include measurable features; the description should cover raw materials, physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory features and processing; the area should be shown on a map and set by the real link, not by administrative boundaries; and proof of origin should rest on referenced, readable documents, with oral testimony where records are not available. The Act and the Rules as amended in 2020 and 2025 govern until the draft is finalised.
What these parts serve
The content of the application, including the statement of case, is fixed by rule 32; see rule 32 on content of the application. The registration is of goods and an area; see section 8. The draft's parts on specification, area and proof are an aid to preparing that statement of case, which our guide on how to draft the statement of case covers on the 2011 Manual. For help turning evidence into a filed application, see our geographical indication registration service. The draft's earlier parts, on the applicant and the name, are in the first draft guide.
The specification and the description (draft part A, item 6)
The draft proposes that the specification should describe the characteristics of the product that are attributable to its geographical origin, so as to justify the link between product and territory. It should explain how a given quality, a reputation (history, past and current) or another characteristic such as know-how is linked to the origin.
Two features of the draft stand out. First, it would have the specification include measurable characteristics that are traceable to the final product, such as chemical composition, shape, taste or colour. Second, it would include elements not necessarily visible in the end product that contribute to its character, such as plant varieties, agricultural practices, maximum yields or the duration of ripening or seasoning.
The description is a separate list. The draft would have it cover the raw material and the main physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics, the presentation (fresh, frozen or preserved, for instance), the processing methods for every stage taking place in the territory, and, for agricultural products, varieties, harvesting and storage. For a producer group, this means the description needs the maker's detail, not only a label-style summary.
The area and its link (item 7)
The draft would have the application identify the GI production area and explain why the product is special there. The link may come from natural factors (soil, water, climate, rainfall, altitude, landscape) or human factors (skills, knowledge and practices), or both. The draft's examples: a craft special because artisans have used a method for generations, or a farm product with a taste due to local soil, water and climate.
On defining the area it makes four proposals. Show it clearly on a map and name the villages, towns, districts or regions included. Give a supported reason for any place included or left out. Do not decide it only by district or state boundary. And review the product's history, because the production area may have grown or shrunk with trade, demand or raw material, so that a core area where the product has been made consistently may be identified, with nearby places added only where genuine production with the same conditions and practices is possible.
The draft lists four points to consider when fixing the area: natural conditions, local practices, history and reputation, and the location of producers (current and nearby genuine ones). A well-defined area, it says, protects genuine producers, prevents misuse and assures consumers.
Proof of origin and historical evidence (item 8)
The draft says the application must show a real, long-standing connection between product and area, and proposes a clear record of the product's history: when and where it was first made, grown or used; how the name came into use; how it was traditionally made; how skills passed between generations; and why it is known locally and beyond.
For documents the draft lists gazetteers and official records; published books, reports and old documents; newspaper or magazine articles; historical records and government documents; old labels, advertisements, catalogues, photographs or sales records; traditional recipes or craft records; and references in literature or scientific publications. Where written records are not available it would accept oral statements and testimonies of experienced artisans, farmers or elders. For any extract from a book, article or manuscript, the draft proposes giving the full reference and attaching a readable copy so that the Registry can verify it.
Preparing the file: a working table
| Draft part | What the society should assemble | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Specification | Link statement, measurable characteristics, hidden factors (varieties, yields, ripening) | Can each characteristic be traced to the finished product? |
| Description | Raw materials; physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory features; processing; presentation | Does it match what producers really do? |
| Area and link | Map, list of villages, natural and human factors, reasons for inclusions and exclusions | Does every included place have genuine production? |
| History | Timeline of origin, name, method and skills | Is each statement supported by a dated source? |
| Documents | Gazetteers, books, labels, photographs, sales records | Full reference and readable copy attached? |
| Testimony | Statements of elders and artisans | Used only where written records are missing? |
How the draft sits with the law
The draft proposes content; the Act and Rules require what they require. If the Registry's own examination of the statement of case under the rules asks for something else, the Rules prevail. Do not cite the draft in a reply to an Examination Report as though it were a rule.
A worked example
The Kaveripur Lacquerware Artisans' Society (an invented body) is preparing its file. Its president wants to mark the whole district as the GI area because the district name is on the product.
The society follows the draft's approach instead. It maps the five villages where lac-turning has been done for generations, adds two nearby villages where artisans trained by master craftsmen use the same wood and lac, and records the reason for each. It explains the exclusion of a town where the same product is made by machine from other material. For history, it gathers a gazetteer entry, a 1950s trade catalogue, photographs and signed testimonies from three elderly craftsmen, with full references and readable copies. The specification lists measurable features such as finish, thickness and wood type.
Common lapses
- A specification written as marketing language with no measurable feature.
- An area drawn along the district boundary rather than the production.
- Evidence without references or readable copies.
- Using oral testimony as the only proof where written records exist.
- Treating the draft's lists as mandatory requirements.
Need help with the evidence file?
Evidence decides how an Examination Report goes. If your society needs help assembling the specification, map and historical record, our geographical indication registration team can work through it with you.
Key takeaways
- The draft proposes a specification with measurable and hidden factors tied to origin.
- The area should be mapped and justified by the real link.
- History should be recorded and supported by referenced documents.
- Oral testimony is proposed for use where written records are not available.
- The Act and Rules govern until the draft is finalised.
Read next
- Draft filing guidelines 2026: method of production, uniqueness and the inspection body
- Draft filing guidelines 2026: who can apply and the GI name
- Draft filing guidelines 2026: checklist of documents and online filing
- How to draft the statement of case under the Registry Manual
Disclaimer: Based on the documents of the Geographical Indications Registry named in the article (the Manual of Geographical Indications Practice and Procedure, Version 01.11 of 26 July 2011, and the draft guidelines published for comments in October 2025 and September 2026), as consulted on 4 October 2026. A draft is not final; none of these documents has the force of law; the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and the Rules of 2002 as now in force prevail and the current position should be checked on ipindia.gov.in. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.