Pouring Possibilities: Charting The Policy Path For India’s AlcoBev Future

India’s alcoholic beverages (AlcoBev) sector is at a critical inflection point. Having recorded a robust 13 per centCAGR over the past three years and poised for 8 - 10 per cent growth in FY26 - reaching an estimated Rs 5.3 lakh crore, the industry is no longer a silent contributor to the economy. With the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) segment expected to grow by 5 - 6 per cent(464 million cases) and beer by 8 per cent(412 million cases), steady demand and premiumization are fuelling this upward trajectory. But to convert momentum into long-term, sustainable growth, the policy environment must evolve in sync with market realities.