Textiles Committee And NEHHDC Sign MoU For GI-Based IPR Protection Of Traditional N-E Products
The Textiles Committee under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and the North Eastern Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation (NEHHDC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the North Eastern Region Conclave in Guwahati, Assam. The partnership aims to safeguard the intellectual property of traditional products from the North-East through Geographical Indications (GI) registration and structured post-GI initiatives.
Under the agreement, the Textiles Committee and NEHHDC will collaborate to facilitate the GI registration of 33 unique handloom and handicraft products, 18 from Nagaland and 15 from Meghalaya, under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. The initiative represents a major push towards recognizing and protecting the cultural and artisanal heritage of the North-Eastern states on a national and global platform.
In addition to registration, both organizations will jointly work with Central and state governments to strengthen sectors such as textiles, handloom, handicrafts, khadi and other allied crafts in the region. The collaboration also places strong emphasis on post-GI activities, including capacity building, branding and market linkages, to ensure that registered products translate into tangible economic benefits for artisan communities.
The initiative is expected to empower weavers and artisans by protecting traditional knowledge systems, enhancing the global visibility of North-Eastern textiles and handicrafts, and generating new market opportunities through branding and product recognition. The MoU marks a strategic step toward leveraging Intellectual Property Rights as a tool for heritage protection and inclusive development in the North-Eastern region.
