West Bengal Gets 23 New GI Tags, Total Reaches 59
Why in the news
West Bengal gained Geographical Indication (GI) recognition for 23 new products in early July 2026, taking it to third place among Indian states by number of GI registrations.
Key facts
- New GI tags: 23; total for the state: 59.
- Rank: third after Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
- Products named include jalbhora sandesh (Chandernagore), Krishnanagar clay dolls, sitalpati (Cooch Behar) and the Bengal singing bowl (Bikrampur).
- Others: monohara (Janai), Santiniketan batik and ektara (Birbhum), mecha sandesh (Beliatore, Bankura), Banglar nolen gur, kanakchur popped rice, Balagarh boats (Hooghly) and Kolkata traditional jewellery.
| State | GI registrations |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 83 |
| Tamil Nadu | 76 |
| West Bengal | 59 |
About GI tags
A GI tag protects products linked to a particular place of origin. Reports note that it guards the identity and heritage of such goods, prevents misuse of their names and supports artisans, farmers and local industries by raising market value.
Exam angle
- Remember the ranking: UP (83), Tamil Nadu (76), West Bengal (59).
- Pair each product with its place, for example sitalpati with Cooch Behar and Balagarh boats with Hooghly.
- GI is a recurring static-GK topic.