India updates alcoholic beverage regulations for 2026 with new categories, quality standards 

INDIA – The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) First Amendment Regulations, 2025, introducing significant revisions to the regulatory framework for alcoholic beverages in the country.  

Officially notified in the Gazette on June 20, 2025, the updated rules will take effect from January 1, 2026. 

The amendments introduce new product categories and refined definitions for several traditional and emerging alcoholic drinks. A key update is the formal classification of “alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages” (RTDs).  

These are defined as flavored drinks containing between 0.5% and 15% alcohol by volume, created using spirits or spirit-based blends. RTDs may include carbonation and ingredients such as juices, herbs, sweeteners, spices, salt, and approved food additives. 

The revised standards also codify mead or honey wine, defining it as an alcoholic beverage fermented from an aqueous honey solution, excluding additional carbohydrate sources. Mead may include herbs and spices and must adhere to compositional requirements outlined in the updated regulations. 

Nitro craft beers have also been addressed under the new framework. These beverages are characterized by a mixture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen (N₂) gases and are subject to specific minimum carbonation levels as prescribed in the amendment. 

Further, the amendment enhances clarity around country and Indian liquors by consolidating definitions and providing detailed classifications for both distilled and undistilled variants.  

The regulations now include an annexure listing over 50 traditional regional beverages, such as Toddy, Mahua, Handia, Apong, and Zutho. Blended country liquors have been distinctly defined, involving combinations of distilled alcohol, neutral spirits, or rectified spirits. 

The update also includes revised tables on compositional and microbiological parameters, setting out permissible alcohol content, carbonation thresholds, and hygiene limits in line with new beverage categories. 

Originally issued in 2018, the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations were last amended in August 2023. A draft version of the 2025 amendment was released in May 2023 for public consultation.  

The final regulations reflect feedback from stakeholders and are aligned with Section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. 

These changes aim to standardize product definitions, enhance quality control, and accommodate emerging trends in India’s evolving alcoholic beverage sector. 

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