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.
The draft Guidelines for the Use of Geographical Indications and the Geographical Indications Logo, published in October 2025, say who may put a registered GI name and the official logo on goods, and when they may not. This article explains what the draft proposes, what a producer, dealer or exporter should check on a label today, and where the Act and Rules govern instead.
This is a draft published for comments (October 2025); 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, only a registered authorised user, or a person with that user's assent or who procures the goods from the user directly or indirectly (dealers, packagers and intermediaries), could use the registered name and the logo. The goods must come from the registered area and meet the registered method and specification. The logo may not be altered and may not be used on processed products made from GI goods. Misuse falls under the Act's provisions as amended in 2023. The Act and Rules govern until anything is finalised.
What the draft is for
The draft says its aim is clear regulatory and procedural direction on the proper use, protection and promotion of registered GI goods, for producers, artisans, distributors, retailers and anyone using a GI on goods. The statutory source of exclusive rights is section 21 on rights conferred by registration, and infringement is section 22. Our geographical indication registration page explains how we help producers use a registered GI correctly.
Who may use the name and the logo (draft 1.1 and 1.1.1)
The draft names two groups. The first is the authorised user: a person registered with the Registry and authorised to use the registered name and the logo on the specified goods. The second is any person who has the assent of an authorised user or who procures the goods directly or indirectly from one, including dealers (retailers, wholesalers, distributors and exporters), packagers and intermediaries in the supply chain.
The draft adds a condition: the name and logo must go on goods from the region specified at registration and must keep the methods, quality and reputation defined there. It gives as an example of the principle the Registry's own acceptance and publication of the specification in the GI Journal, and uses two products as illustrations. These are the draft's examples only and say nothing about any current registration status.
The route to becoming an authorised user is not in the draft. It is in section 17 of the Act and in the rules; the 2020 Amendment Rules substituted rule 56 and introduced separate forms. See section 17 on registration as an authorised user, rules 56 to 58, and our note on the rights of an authorised user.
What the draft would prohibit (draft 1.1.2)
The draft says unauthorised or misleading use of the registered name or the logo is prohibited, especially where it could deceive consumers or dilute reputation. Use is not permitted if:
- the user is not an authorised user, or not someone with the user's assent or who procures from the user;
- the goods do not come from the defined area;
- the goods do not follow the production or manufacturing practices of registration; or
- the goods do not meet the product specification and quality standards.
The draft's illustration is a seller of sarees from another State passing them off under a registered name, and a fruit sold under a registered name that does not come from the registered area. It says the restrictions cover all commercial use and promotion: packaging and labelling (tags, wrappers, stickers, boxes); online platforms (meta-tags, digital ads, e-commerce listings, social media); physical advertising (billboards, posters, point-of-sale); and commercial documents (invoices, bills of lading and certificates of origin).
Scope: same class and processed products (1.1.2.1)
The draft would apply the regulation to goods registered under a classification, and to products made or processed from registered goods as raw materials or ingredients. In its illustration, the registered name of a fruit may not be put on other fruits in the same class. For processed goods, it says the name can be mentioned on the label of a juice, jam or pickle if the registered GI product is the primary raw material, while a processed product made from non-GI raw materials but labelled with the registered name would be unauthorised, citing section 22(1) of the Act for false or misleading use.
Identical and similar expressions (1.1.2.2)
The draft says expressions identical or similar to a registered name are restricted by the Act where appearance and pronunciation could lead consumers to assume the same characteristics. It treats as similar: affixing the name to goods that fail the standards; naming the place of production of the genuine goods for other goods; terms such as "style", "type", "method", "kind" or "inspired by"; translations and transliterations; and misspellings or phonetic tweaks meant to evoke a GI. The Act's own test is in section 22 on infringement.
The logo (draft 1.2)
In words, the draft describes the logo as a standard emblem of authenticity and origin, in a circular form carrying the letters "GI" with national-flag colours, and an official tagline in Hindi and English. It says the logo may not be altered, stylised or used deceptively, and that no other design may be used as the GI logo. The detailed design, colour scheme and size are in the draft itself and should be taken from the Registry's official download, not from a summary.
Principles the draft sets out: the logo is used in full colour as the standard; it must be large enough for a consumer to identify without effort, and may be scaled for small packs only in proportion, colour and visible tagline; distortion, cropping, pixelation or stretching is prohibited; there is a minimum size; the layout, fonts, colours and proportions must not change; and the logo must not be framed or de-emphasised.
Display (1.2.2). The logo must be displayed prominently on packaging, labels and promotional material for registered GI goods, on the pack where the customer meets it in use, with other standardisation logos, and placed so that it is not distorted.
Registration number (1.2.3). The draft makes display of the registration number optional. Where used, it goes directly below or next to the logo without altering the layout, and combines the serial number of registration with its year. An authorised user's number may optionally be shown with it. The draft's question-and-answer annexure, however, says the logo appears with the tagline and the registration number, so the draft is not consistent on this point; our next guide returns to it.
Usage rules (1.2.4). The logo is only for registered Indian GI products. It is not for products not registered as GIs, for foreign GIs, or on its own other than for educational, publicity or promotional content, and not for processed products made from registered goods. The draft adds that, in any case whether the use is restricted or excepted, the logo is not allowed.
What follows from misuse
The draft prints no penalty. The Act's penalty provisions as amended in 2023 apply; see section 37A on adjudication of penalties and the consumer-facing summary of infringement and penalties. Nothing in a draft guideline replaces them.
A checklist before using a GI
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Status | Is the user an authorised user, or supplied by one? |
| Origin | Do the goods come from the registered area? |
| Method | Does production follow the registered method? |
| Specification | Do the goods meet the registered specification? |
| Raw materials | If processed, is the registered product the primary ingredient, and is the logo left off? |
| Wording | Does the label avoid "style", "type" or misspelt variants? |
| Logo | Is the official design used unaltered? |
| Documents | Do invoices and certificates of origin respect the same rules? |
A worked example
The Kaveripur Jaggery Traders' Association (an invented body) buys jaggery from authorised users of a registered indication and sells it under the registered name. It also launches a jaggery-based sweet using only a small share of registered jaggery.
Under the draft, the association's buying from authorised users and its labels on the plain jaggery fit the proposed permission, with the logo unaltered. The sweet is different: the draft would allow the name on a processed product only where the GI product is the primary ingredient, and the logo not at all. The association therefore decides not to use the registered name on the sweet, and checks its invoices and export certificates, which fall under the same rule.
Common lapses
- Using the registered name because the goods are "of the same type".
- Putting the logo on a processed product.
- Adding "style" or "inspired by" next to a registered name.
- Altering the logo's colours, proportions or tagline.
- Assuming the draft already binds users or the Registry.
Need help with labels?
If your packaging, listings or export documents use a registered name, we can review them against the Act and the draft. See our geographical indication registration service.
Key takeaways
- The draft would limit use to authorised users and persons supplied by them.
- Goods must come from the area and meet method and specification.
- The logo is not for processed products and must not be altered.
- Registration-number display is optional.
- The Act's provisions, as amended in 2023, govern misuse.
Read next
- Draft logo guidelines 2025: exceptions, disclaimer and the compliance checklist
- Draft filing guidelines 2026: method of production, uniqueness and inspection body
- What the GI Registry Manual and the drafts are
- Authorised users and their rights
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.