India to promote tribal products in global markets, boost GI-tagging to preserve crafts

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has urged India’s tribal community to expedite Geographical Indication (GI) tagging for all possible crafts and products to preserve the country’s history and traditions.He informed that the fee for obtaining GI tags has been reduced by 80%, from ₹5,000 to ₹1,000, to encourage more tribal products to be registered.The event featured the distribution of GI certificates to tribal artisans from across the country, including Kannadippaya (Bamboo Mat) of Kerala, Apatani Textile of Arunachal Pradesh, Marthandam Honey of Tamil Nadu, Lepcha Tungbuk of Sikkim, Bodo Aronai of Assam, Ambaji White Marble of Gujarat, and Bedu and Badri Cow Ghee of Uttarakhand.Stating that efforts are underway to market products made by India’s tribal community to a larger global audience, the Minister said that ₹24,000 crore will be made available to the 50 lakh most-needy people from the tribal community under various government schemes.Addressing the Tribal Business Conclave 2025 in New Delhi in the presence of the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram, Goyal lauded India’s tribal community for preserving its heritage, culture, and artisanal work despite challenges and attempts to erode their identity through religious conversions.He noted that 125+ Naxal-affected districts had deprived India’s tribal communities of development in the past, but indicated that Naxalism has now been curbed to around a dozen districts.The government aims to make India free of Naxal activities by March 2026 by ensuring the progress and rehabilitation of surrendered Naxals.

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