India is gearing up to challenge Pakistan's attempts to broaden the geographical indication (GI) tag for its Basmati rice.
About
Basmati rice is cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of the Indian subcontinent.
The specific agro-climatic conditions, processing techniques such as harvesting and ageing are said to make this rice unique.
Basmati rice is grown in 81 districts in India, spanning Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh.
34 varieties of Basmati are officially recognized under Seeds Act of 1966.