The Central Government, alongside top agricultural scientists from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and officials from APEDA, has initiated a comprehensive review to prune India’s approved list of 45 export-eligible basmati rice strains. Rice exporters have long argued that an excessive number of registered names dilutes marketing focus, as international buyers predominantly recognize premium, long-grain benchmark strains like Pusa Basmati 1121. Released in 2005, Pusa 1121 expanded up to 22 mm when cooked and single-handedly propelled India’s aromatic rice export valuation past ₹50,000 crore in the 2025–26 cycle. To systematically preserve this geographical indication (GI) brand equity, trade experts recommend transitioning to a dynamic “living variety management framework” that categorizes premium seeds as core “principal varieties” while organizing newer or historical strains into secondary, heritage, or experimental tiers.