SankalpFSSAI packaging rules require that any material touching a bottled beverage is food-grade and safe, that the pack is hygienic and securely sealed, and that the food business holds a valid FSSAI licence. These expectations sit under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, and they apply to bottled water, juices, soft drinks, and other beverages sold in India.
What FSSAI is
FSSAI, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, is the national regulator for food safety. It operates under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which consolidated earlier food laws into a single framework. Any business that manufactures, packs, or sells food and beverages in India needs an FSSAI registration or licence, depending on its size, and must display the licence number on the pack.
Food-contact materials must be food-grade
The core packaging expectation is simple to state: anything that comes into contact with the beverage must be safe for food contact. The Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 set out this principle. In practice it means:
- Packaging materials, including bottles, liners, and closures, should be made from food-grade materials suitable for the product they hold.
- Materials should not transfer harmful substances into the beverage at levels that make it unsafe (the general concern behind migration limits).
- Printing inks, adhesives, and coatings should be kept away from direct food contact.
- Recycled materials for direct food contact are restricted.
Rather than dictating one exact recipe, the framework sets the safety outcome: the pack must protect the product and must not make it unsafe.
Sealed, hygienic, and honestly labelled
Beyond the material itself, FSSAI expects the finished pack to be hygienic and securely closed so the beverage is protected from contamination through the supply chain. Labelling and declarations are governed by FSSAI’s labelling rules together with the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, which cover the mandatory declarations on a pre-packaged commodity such as net quantity, manufacturing details, and price.
How bottled water differs
Bottled water sits under an extra layer, though not the one it used to. Packaged drinking water is covered by standard IS 14543 and packaged mineral water by IS 13428. Certification against those standards was compulsory until FSSAI notified the omission of the clauses requiring it on 17 October 2024, so a water brand now needs an FSSAI licence and may hold a BIS licence (the ISI mark on the pack) as a voluntary quality signal. The scrutiny moved to the food-safety side instead: packaged drinking water and mineral water were reclassified as a high-risk food category on 29 November 2024, bringing annual third-party audit and stricter inspection. Other beverages such as soft drinks and juices are generally governed through the FSSAI product standards rather than the BIS water standards.
| Product | Typical Indian requirements |
|---|---|
| Packaged drinking water | FSSAI licence; judged against IS 14543, with BIS certification (ISI mark) voluntary since October 2024 |
| Packaged mineral water | FSSAI licence; judged against IS 13428, with BIS certification voluntary since October 2024 |
| Soft drinks, juices, other beverages | FSSAI licence and applicable FSSAI product standards |
Always confirm the current requirement for your specific product with FSSAI and BIS, as standards are periodically revised.
Where closures fit
The closure is a food-contact component, so it falls squarely within these expectations. For a beverage cap this means:
- Food-grade liner. The liner is what actually seals against the bottle rim, and it must be a food-grade material. Many water and beverage brands specify PVC-free liners for this reason, and the commercial drivers behind that move are set out in the shift to PVC-free closures.
- A secure, hygienic seal. The closure must hold the product safely through storage and transport, without leaking or letting in contamination.
- Tamper evidence. A closure that visibly breaks on first opening supports the hygienic, protected pack the framework expects and reassures the consumer.
This is where an aluminium ROPP (Roll-On Pilfer-Proof) closure is well matched to beverage lines. Aluminium is inert and taint-free, the liner can be specified food-grade and PVC-free, and the integral pilfer band gives clear tamper evidence. The formats in use across the market are compared in beverage closures in India, and the pressure side of the job in closures for carbonated soft drinks and what is a CSD closure.
Frequently asked questions
Do bottled beverages need an FSSAI licence in India?
Yes. Businesses that manufacture, pack, or sell bottled beverages in India need an FSSAI registration or licence, with the type depending on the scale of the operation, and the licence number must appear on the pack. This is separate from BIS certification, which packaged water brands may now hold voluntarily.
What does food-grade mean for a bottle cap?
A food-grade cap is made from materials safe for contact with food and drink, so it does not transfer harmful substances into the beverage. For a closure, the liner is the key food-contact part, which is why many water and beverage brands specify a food-grade, PVC-free liner.
Does FSSAI cover packaged drinking water on its own?
Packaged drinking water needs an FSSAI licence like any other beverage, and IS 14543 is the BIS standard the water itself is judged against. BIS certification under IS 14543 (the ISI mark) is no longer mandatory, following the omission of the clauses that required it on 17 October 2024, so it is now a voluntary quality signal. Water is still watched more closely than most beverages: it was reclassified as a high-risk food category on 29 November 2024, and a Scheme of Testing in force from 1 January 2026 requires monthly testing against the specified parameters.
Are printing inks on a beverage bottle regulated?
The FSSAI packaging framework expects printing inks, adhesives, and coatings to be kept away from direct food contact and not to compromise the safety of the beverage. In practice this shapes how bottles and closures are printed, so that the decorated surface does not touch the product inside.
To see how a food-grade seal is built into a closure, read our guide to the parts of a ROPP cap, or view R Vision’s Bev Cap with its PVC-free TPE liner. The full Bev Cap specification and the rest of the closure library are on Learn.