India, the largest whiskey market in the world by volume, granted legal protection to Irish whiskey. In 2018, 2.3 billion bottles of whiskey were consumed in India, the majority of which was produced in the country. The Irish Whiskey Association (IWA), said that the registration of Irish whiskey as a certification mark in India will mean that the category “can fully compete against other whiskies by reinforcing the authenticity of the product for the Indian consumer.”
Sales of Irish whiskey doubled to 34,000 cases in India with “further growth now being targeted” mainly in “high-growth” cities such as Delhi, added the Association.
“Securing the geographical indication for Irish whiskey in India is another landmark for the Irish whiskey category,” said Carleen Madigan, IWA’s legal advisor. “We will now be able to take much tougher enforcement action against fake Irish whiskey products on sale in India,” she noted.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
