New Delhi to host “GI & Beyond 2.0 Summit” on 5 August

To promote India’s rich Geographical Indication (GI) handloom and handicraft products and strengthen their position in domestic and international markets, the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, in association with the Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC), will organise the GI & Beyond 2.0 Summit‟ on 5 August 2026 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

The Summit will be inaugurated by Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for External Affairs & Textiles, Government of India, as the Chief Guest. Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, IAS, Secretary (Textiles), Government of India, will be the Guest of Honour in the gracious presence of Dr. M. Beena, IAS, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Smt. Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and Prof. (Dr.) Unnat P. Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM), RoC, GI & SICLDR.

The Summit aims to promote India’s GI-tagged handloom and handicraft products and facilitate collaboration among stakeholders across the GI ecosystem. It will bring together overseas buyers from about 10 countries, exporters and multinational corporations (MNCs) from across India, registered proprietors of GI products, officials from Central and State Government Departments, and experts from leading textile brands, retail chains, e-commerce platforms, academia and industry.

A key feature of the Summit will be the display of more than 100 GI-registered handloom and handicraft products from across the country. The event will also feature thematic displays showcasing India’s diverse weaving traditions and live demonstrations of handloom weaving and handicrafts.

During the inaugural session, GI Certificates will be presented to Registered Proprietors and new Authorised Users. The Summit will also witness the launch of the Digital Handloom Atlas – “One Platform. Endless Markets”, a comprehensive digital platform designed to showcase India’s handloom products, including GI products, and connect artisans with global markets. The Diamond Jubilee Logo of the Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) will also be unveiled on the occasion.

The programme will also include a special presentation by experts from IIT Madras on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for strengthening the GI ecosystem. Technical sessions during the Summit will deliberate on GI Registration & Intellectual Property Rights, promotion of GI products in the domestic market, and strategies for leveraging GI handloom products in international markets.

The Summit will bring together a distinguished gathering of overseas buyers, exporters, leading textile and retail brands, multinational corporations (MNCs), e-commerce platforms, GI authorised users, policymakers, Government officials, industry experts, intellectual property professionals and academia, and is expected to serve as an important platform for collaboration among stakeholders.