India: Food and Drugs Law

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), vide a press release dated 02 August 2026 , has clarified its position on the enforcement action initiated against certain alcoholic beverage manufacturers. According to FSSAI, the manufacturers concerned were producing rum and whisky predominantly from neutral alcohol, which has no characteristic flavour of its own, and were adding rum or whisky flavour externally to replicate the taste and aroma which ought to arise naturally from the manufacturing process.

In a significant ruling between Food Safety and Standards Authority of India v. G. Subramania Koushik & Ors. addressing consumer awareness and food safety, the Madras High Court has upheld its earlier directions requiring precautionary labelling on plastic/PET-bottled drinking water and sugar and salt sold in plastic packaging, indicating the possible presence of microplastics and nanoplastics. The decision highlights the importance of consumer disclosure, particularly where scientific research has identified potential health concerns but the precise extent of the associated risks remains under investigation.

India's pharmaceutical and healthcare regulatory landscape in August 2026 witnessed significant reforms spanning medical devices, drug safety, clinical trials, and professional registration. From stricter controls on pediatric medications to streamlined ethics review processes, these developments reshape compliance obligations and market access pathways for life sciences stakeholders.

The Indian export ecosystem for agricultural and processed food products has seen a significant regulatory update with the notification of fresh adjudication rules. The Central Government, acting through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, issued these rules by invoking its powers under clauses (ma) and (mb) of sub-section (2) of section 32, read together with section 25A of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act of 1985.

For years, an FSSAI licence came bundled with a question every food business operator eventually had to answer: when does it expire, and when must it be renewed? In 2026, that question has fundamentally changed.

Intellectual property (“IP”) law and food safety law have traditionally been treated as separate domains, administered by different authorities, under different statutes, and animated by different objects. IP law governs a proprietor’s exclusive rights over a mark and the consequences of its unauthorized use; food safety law governs the safety, labelling and honest presentation of food to the public.

India's life sciences, pharmaceutical, and consumer healthcare sectors are entering a more enforcement-driven regulatory phase. Recent interventions by the Central Government, the Central Drugs Standard Control...

India has remained on the US Trade Representative's Priority Watch List for over 15 years due to ongoing disputes over intellectual property protection, particularly concerning pharmaceutical patents, compulsory licensing, and data exclusivity. With the recent India-EU Free Trade Agreement signed in January 2026, questions arise about whether this landmark deal will alter the dynamics of US-India trade negotiations and India's controversial IP stance.

India's healthcare, pharmaceutical, and medical devices sectors have witnessed significant regulatory and policy developments from April to May 2026, including the nationwide expansion of mental healthcare services, the launch of the JANANI digital platform for maternal and child healthcare, and proposed amendments to medical device regulations.