Geographical indications: expanding horizons of intellectual property rights

This article builds a basic understanding about Geographical Indications. An introduction to Intellectual Property Rights in general is given for understanding the basic need for Geographical Indications. The development of concept of Geographical Indications is quite old. However it is with globalization that ‘protection’ of Geographical Indications is needed to avoid unfair competition and to compensate those, whose pains and labour builds that goodwill about goods of particular regions. World Trade Organisation has been instrumental in bringing about uniformity in legislations around the world on this issue. Through its conventions, ‘TRIPS’ has emerged as the binding force to control infringement across the borders of a country. India has responded to this by enacting the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999. The number of applications with the registry of Geographical Indications are indicating that lot has to be done to sensitize people about the commercial issues involved with Geographical Indications.