The battle for geographical indication protection of basmati rice: a view from Nepal

This article is a contribution to the debate on geographical indication (GI) protection for basmati rice, stressing its relevance to Nepal. After providing an overview of Nepal’s intellectual property regime, the article offers a detailed account of justifications for Nepal to oppose India’s European Union GI registration of basmati rice. The analysis, which focuses on the connection between basmati rice and Nepalese society, focuses on the social and cultural values of basmati rice in local communities. The Basmati rice controversy provides an opportunity for Nepal to brand its local product to penetrate both national and international markets. The GIs system may be an auxiliary agent in achieving these goals.