When a local craft becomes a national asset.
A Geographical Indication tag turns a village skill into a protected, globally marketable identity — keeping value, jobs, and pride where the craft is made. That is self-reliance, built one product at a time.
Registered 1991 · 80G & 12A · FCRA approved
What a GI is — and why it matters for Atmanirbhar Bharat
A Geographical Indication (GI) is a legal certification that a product originates from a specific place and carries qualities tied to that origin — like Banaras Brocades, Darjeeling Tea, or Bhadohi carpets. It works like Champagne in France or Parmigiano Reggiano in Italy: it deters counterfeits and ensures the makers in that region get the credit and the better price. That is exactly the logic of Atmanirbhar Bharat — producing locally, protecting our own intellectual property, and competing globally on our own heritage. India aims to secure 10,000 GI tags by 2030; over 600 products carry the tag today.
See HWA's GI work
From “Vocal for Local” to value retained locally
A GI tag converts traditional knowledge into an economic asset owned by the community — not by a distant brand. That is the heart of a self-reliant India.
Protects the maker
A GI stops outsiders from passing off imitations under a famous regional name, so artisans and farmers keep the premium their craft has earned.
Builds local livelihoods
Recognition opens domestic and export markets — lifting incomes for weavers, craftspeople, and marginal farmers without forcing migration to cities.
Preserves heritage as economy
It turns culture into a durable, self-reliant industry — “Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi”: development and heritage, growing together.
HWA's GI impact, by the numbers
- 159
- GI products registered
- 29
- States & union territories
- 2M+
- People impacted
- 1991
- Serving artisans since
What HWA does for a GI product
A field-tested model, pioneered in Varanasi and replicated across India.
Identify & document
Establish the product’s origin, history, and the unique qualities that tie it to its region.
Build the case
Prepare the technical application and the evidence the Geographical Indications Registry requires.
Register
File and steward the application through to a granted GI tag for the producer community.
Promote & sustain
Connect the tagged product to markets, expos, and buyers so recognition becomes lasting income.
Have a craft, food, or farm product worth protecting?
If your community, cluster, or state has a product rooted in a place, it may qualify for a GI tag — and the recognition, protection, and market access that come with it. HWA helps states, institutions, and producer groups take a local product from documentation to a granted GI.