In a major push to protect Indian businesses, the country’s industry leaders have called on the government to establish dedicated task forces, enforce more stringent penalties for counterfeit trade, and enhance international collaboration on counterfeit prevention.

Highlighting the urgent need for India to adopt a comprehensive approach to combat counterfeiting, participants at the 6th edition of the Traceability and Authentication Forum (TAF 2025) held here earlier this week (18-19 March) also emphasized the importance of incentivizing businesses to implement modern authentication technologies to safeguard both domestic markets and exports.

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Organised by the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA), a self-regulated non-profit organization seeking to raise awareness about physical and digital authentication and traceability solutions globally, the two-day TAF 2025 highlighted the urgent need to safeguard the integrity of India’s industries from the menace of counterfeiting, which affects both domestic markets and exports.

Calling for stricter anti-counterfeiting laws and advanced traceability measures, various stakeholders said with rising global demand for high-quality, traceable products, India is at a critical point to introduce world-class anti-counterfeiting measures.

The industry experts noted that counterfeit products, mislabelled goods and fraudulent certifications pose a serious risk to India’s reputation, both in domestic markets and internationally. Fake products not only compromise safety but also diminish consumer trust, potentially leading to stricter trade restrictions from global partners.

Unanimous on the need for stringent policies, real-time tracking systems, and industry-wide collaboration, the experts emphasized the importance of adopting blockchain-enabled traceability solutions and AI-driven authentication systems to monitor supply chains and detect fraud in real-time.

However, they also stressed that India must act and evolve with these technologies, particularly in rural areas where authentication practices still rely on traditional methods, such as identifying products by colour. In this context, physical overt packaging should also be a key part of the solution, ensuring authenticity is clear and accessible to all consumers, regardless of their location or technological access.

“Counterfeiting is a pervasive issue impacting various sectors, including agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and consumer goods,” said Abhishek Dev, Chairman of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). “It not only threatens consumer safety but also undermines India’s trade credibility.”

In his address to the forum, Mr Dev said APEDA appreciates the valuable insights provided in the ASPA-CRISIL report launched in 2022, which highlighted the significant impact of counterfeiting across industries.

“Reports like these are crucial for the industry, and there is a need for more such studies to help guide efforts to address this challenge. APEDA encourages further collaboration and development of such solutions, as data-driven insights are essential for the industry’s response,” he added.

He informed that APEDA has been working on traceability systems for organic products under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP).

“We look forward to strengthening these efforts with the integration of advanced authentication technologies such as holograms and QR codes to ensure product integrity. This aligns with the vision of our Honourable Prime Minister Modi to produce the best-quality products in India and ensure they are trusted, both domestically and globally.”

ASPA President, Manoj Kochar, reinforced the necessity of collaborative efforts to curb counterfeiting, stating, “TAF 2025 has brought together industry leaders and policymakers to drive solutions that protect consumers and ensure fair trade.”

He also emphasized the importance of raising consumer awareness, both domestically and internationally, as a critical step in protecting their safety and supporting brand integrity. He further announced that ASPA will soon be launching the State of Counterfeiting in India 2025, further strengthening the organization’s commitment to research-driven advocacy and industry-wide action.

The forum saw over 200 participants, including more than 40 industry leaders, government officials and technology experts, discussing the latest anti-counterfeiting solutions.

Key representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, and major companies from different sectors stressed the need for stronger regulations to tackle counterfeit trade.

TAF 2025 concluded with a firm commitment from stakeholders to advocate for robust policies and technological advancements that will protect India’s industries, with the sector now looking to policymakers for decisive action to ensure the long-term sustainability of the country’s business environment.

The commitments made at the forum are expected to lead to actionable policy reforms in the coming months, ensuring the competitiveness, safety, and trustworthiness of products in both domestic and international markets.