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On February 13, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi issued a joint statement announcing lower tariffs on bourbon whiskey.

India’s total alcoholic beverage sector is the world’s third largest, with yearly sales of $44 billion according to Euromonitor. Despite India’s high import tariff structure, lack of uniformity in state excise rates, state specific regulations, and limited opportunities for the marketing of alcoholic beverages, the sector continues to witness significant growth that is set to expand to $55 billion by 2027.

This GAIN-INDIA report is an addendum to FAS India's (New Delhi, Mumbai) (Post) GAIN-INDIA | IN2024-0012 | India’s Wine Product Labeling Requirements – Update 2024. Post sought out additional regulatory review, and has obtained a revised confirmation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that its Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations now do not require an expiry date for wine products.

FAS India (New Delhi, Mumbai) (Post) is updating the earlier GAIN-INDIA | IN2020-0195 | FSSAI Publishes Regulations for Alcoholic Beverages report.

Changes to UK alcohol tax rates were implemented on August 1, 2023. The UK government calls this an alcohol duty, but it is an excise tax charged at the point of production or importation of drinks of alcoholic strength exceeding 1.2 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) – the percentage of pure alcohol per liter of product.

On August 21, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) First Amendment Regulations 2023 in the Gazette of India (Notification No. STD/SP-21/T(Alcohol-4).

On June 8, 2023, the Government of India’s (GOI) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) invited World Trade Organization (WTO) members to provide comments on draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Regulations 2023.

Japan’s National Tax Agency (NTA) proposed 9 new geographical indications (GIs) for alcoholic beverages from the United Kingdom. NTA will accept public comments on the proposal through January 16, 2023.

On October 20, 2022, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a clarification on certain provisions to the 2018 Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulation.

As the world’s largest whiskey consumer and a rising consumer of wine, India provides numerous opportunities for U.S. alcoholic beverage exports. To capture greater market share and generate enthusiasm and demand for U.S. alcohol, the Foreign Agricultural Service in New Delhi conducted U.S. alcoholic beverage promotions in New Delhi and Chennai, on March 10 and April 8, 2022, respectively.

Through its phased-in tariff reductions, the agreement will raise challenges for U.S. products including wine and spirits, cotton, pulses and beans, forest products, and tree nuts.

FAS Mumbai (Post) wishes to bring to the attention of U.S. exporters of alcoholic beverages the possibility of participating in some of India’s upcoming key wine and distilled spirits tradeshows in 2022 – Brews and Spirits Expo 2022 (July 6-7), VIN-Expo 2022 (August 18-20), and ProWine 2022 (October 17-18).