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The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 5 at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi to accelerate the commercialisation, quality standardisation, and market penetration of India's Geographical Indication products.
The MoU was signed by Md. Salik Parwaiz, Director, Ministry of MSME, and Karan Thapar, Director, IPR Division, DPIIT, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations, according to the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. The collaborative framework aims to enhance the livelihoods of indigenous artisans, weavers, and producers, while simultaneously strengthening the country's One District One Product ecosystem. DPIIT serves as the nodal department for the registration and legal protection of Geographical Indications in India under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Meanwhile, the Ministry of MSME acts as the nodal ministry steering the growth, financial health, and overall development of micro, small, and medium enterprises, traditional industries, and artisans nationwide. Both entities recognized that while legal registration protects regional identity, maximizing economic value requires coordinated effort. The agreement seeks to transition these localized crafts into scalable, commercially viable, and export-ready enterprises. Under the joint initiatives outlined in the framework, both organisations will work towards "integrating ODOP in their programme design and interventions." The partnership will also "collaboratively facilitate the onboarding of GI collectives and authorised users onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) under a dedicated "Bharat GI" banner." Furthermore, the agencies plan to "co-sponsor dedicated GI Pavilions at national and international trade expos, buyer-seller meets and exhibitions for domestic and global marketing of GI products." The agreement aligns DPIIT's mandate for intellectual property protection with the MSME Ministry's focus on enterprise development. Officials noted that the initiative will strengthen the broader ecosystem through capacity building, digital enablement, and expanded market reach. The framework supports the integration of regional products into premium domestic and international markets, furthering national economic initiatives aimed at self-reliance and promoting local manufacturing. (ANI)
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