Geographical Indication
Protection for a name your region earned
A geographical indication ties a product's reputation to the place it comes from. We help producer collectives, associations and boards register and defend that link under the GI Act, 1999.
Free 15-minute consultation. Your idea is confidential from the very first hello, protected whether or not you go on to instruct us.
What's included
Everything your geographical indication needs
A GI is held collectively, not by one business, so the paperwork behind it matters as much as the application itself. We build the record that shows the link between the goods, the region and the people who make them.
Eligibility & GI application
We confirm who can apply, an association of persons, producers, or an organisation or authority representing their interest, and prepare the GI application in the prescribed form for the class and specification of goods.
Statement of case & inspection structure
We draft the statement of case setting out the historical, geographical and human factors behind the product's qualities, along with the production method, the defined territory and the inspection structure that will maintain standards.
Authorised user registration
We register individual producers within the region as authorised users, so the people actually making the goods can use the registered indication and act against those who cannot.
Opposition, renewal & enforcement
We handle examination objections and opposition proceedings, keep the registration renewed, and act against misuse of the indication by producers outside the region.
Simple, transparent, fast
How it works
- 01
Assess the collective and the product
In a free, confidential consultation we look at the product, the territory it comes from and the body that will hold the registration.
- 02
Build the statement of case
We gather the evidence of reputation, production method and territorial link, and set out the inspection structure, then file with the GI Registry.
- 03
Examination & opposition
We respond to the examination report, address objections from the consultative group, and defend the application through any opposition.
- 04
Authorised users & enforcement
Once registered, we bring producers on as authorised users, keep renewals current, and act when the indication is used deceptively.
Why Soni & Soni
Authority you can rely on, a process you can see.
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Built for collectives
Registrations held by associations, societies and boards need governance the registry can rely on. We help structure it, not just file it.
Evidence-led applications
The statement of case carries the application. We work with producers, records and local sources to document the link between place and product.
Enforcement, not just registration
A GI is worth what it excludes. We pursue misuse under the GI Act and, where the facts allow, alongside passing-off and trade mark remedies.
A dedicated IP practice since 2008
Patent, trade mark, design, copyright and GI work under one roof, with a first response within 10 minutes during business hours.
Talk to an attorney
Thinking about a GI for your region's product?
Tell us about the product, the producers and the territory. A specialist will come back to you with a clear view of eligibility and the evidence you will need, confidentially, at no cost for the first conversation.
Free 15-minute consultation. Your idea is confidential from the very first hello, protected whether or not you go on to instruct us.
Geographical Indication, your questions, answered
What is a geographical indication?
A geographical indication identifies goods as originating from a particular place, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the goods is essentially attributable to that origin. It is protected in India under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
Who can apply for a GI?
An application can be made by an association of persons, producers, or an organisation or authority established by or under law that represents the interest of the producers of the goods. An individual business cannot own a GI for itself, the right is collective.
How is a GI different from a trade mark?
A trade mark distinguishes the goods of one trader; a GI identifies goods coming from a defined region and available to all qualifying producers there. The two can sit alongside each other, and we often advise on both together.
What is an authorised user, and why does it matter?
An authorised user is a producer within the defined territory who is registered against the GI and may use the indication on their goods. Registration as an authorised user is what lets an individual producer rely on the GI and take action for infringement.
How long does a GI registration last?
A GI registration runs for ten years and can be renewed for further ten-year periods, so long as renewal is applied for in time. Authorised user registrations run on the same ten-year cycle.
How long does the process take?
It depends on the completeness of the evidence, the examination report, and whether the application is opposed. We give you a realistic timeline and a fixed-fee plan once we have seen the product and the material available.
Let's protect what you've built.
Book your free, confidential consultation to talk through GI registration for your product and region.