On 11 May 2023, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued consultation document D.L.-33004/99REGD, proposing amendments to the Alcoholic Beverage Regulations with a 60-day feedback period. Main contents:

(1) Increase the definition of low-alcohol beverages with an alcohol content of 0.5 to 8.0 per cent and allow the addition of fruit juice, vegetable juice, sugar, salt or carbon dioxide; Increase the definition of original country wine, original Indian wine, alcoholic beverage made from fermented molasses, malt syrup, potato, cassava, fruit, etc., fermented and distilled; Instead of wine made from fruits other than grapes: fruit wine (other than wine) and mead; Definition of mead; Wine drinks do not need to be acidified with carbon dioxide;

(2) Revise the definition of craft beer, and revise Indian country wine to be Indian liquor or original country liquor or original Indian liquor; Craft beer categories by alcohol content range; A mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen is only suitable for craft beer;

(3) Add specific provisions for the list of distilled alcohol in India, the list of undistilled alcohol in India and the list of light alcohol (4-5% alcohol by volume). For example, barley is allowed to be used as raw material for distilled wine; Undistilled wine in white or red wine can use grapes and other specific provisions.

Learn more: https://fssai.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Draft%20Notification.pdf