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Geographical Indicator (GI) tag for Nilambur teak found in Kerala
- Nilambur teak is famous for its superior timber quality and elegant appearance.
- Britishers were first to identify the superior and unique quality of teak from Kerala’s Nilambur plantations and forests.
- Nilambur was christened the Mecca of Teak.
- Other products from Kerala which have a GI tag are: Pokkali rice, Vazhakulam Pineapple, Tirur Betel vine, Wayanadan rice varieties Jeerakasala and Gandhakasala, Central Travancore Jaggery and Chengalikodan Nendran, a banana variety.
- Geographical Indication (GI) or GI tag is an insignia on products having a unique geographical origin and evolution over centuries with regards to its special quality or reputation attributes.
- The status to the products marks its authenticity and ensures that registered authorised users are allowed to use the popular product name.
- Benefits of GI Status (i) Legal protection to the products (ii) Prevents unauthorised use of a GI tag products by others (iii) Helps consumers to get quality products of desired traits (iv) Promotes economic prosperity of producers of GI tag goods by enhancing their demand in national and international markets.
- GIs are an element of intellectual property rights (IPRs) under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. Thus, GI is governed by World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
- India has the Geographical Indications of goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 for GI registration. The Act came into force in September 2003. Darjeeling tea was the first product to accorded with GI tag in India.
India, Indonesia to conduct Joint air combat exercise
- India and Indonesia have decided to hold their first-ever joint air combat military exercise as well as enhance maritime security cooperation. India and Indonesia have already been conducting joint army drills but now they were moving ahead and planning for joint air force exercise.
- India has already stepped up its military ties with Vietnam, Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia and is now going ahead to crank up defence ties with Indonesia.
- Also during the visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo in December last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to give top priority to their defence and security ties in order to jointly combat terrorism and organised crime.
India-UK Deal to Allow More Flights to Boost Tourism and Trade for Global India & Britain
- India and the UK signed a MoU to ease restrictions on the number of scheduled flights between the two countries, following successful talks in India this week.
- Limits on flights from key Indian cities including Chennai and Kolkata have been scrapped, allowing for a greater range of flights for passengers while providing a boost to trade and tourism for the UK and India.
- Building new links with important trading partners is a key part of the government’s plans for a Global Britain, opening up new export markets and creating jobs and economic growth. The agreement also opened all destinations in the UK for Indian carriers for code share flights, and reciprocally the UK carriers can also operate code share flights to any International Airport in India, through domestic code share arrangements.