Blended

Blended whisky, imported spirituous beverages

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 2208 30 13 (Blended whisky) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and label-compliance requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. State-government compliance under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule and designated food-import port requirements under General Note 4(D) apply as additional clearance conditions. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) classifies this tariff line as Restricted, with NOC validity for alcoholic beverages extended per CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025.

What this is

HSN code

2208 30 13

Chapter

22 · Beverages, spirits and vinegar

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Compliance documentation from State government

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a current FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and upload it in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Simultaneously upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS); the customs proper officer will verify both documents before granting out-of-charge where the bill is PGA-facilitated.
FSSAI Import Licence 911001 · Specimen Copy of Label 0110FS · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
Route the consignment through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure all labelling complies with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020; permitted rectification of specific labelling deficiencies — including per-serve dietary contribution and expiry dates — may be carried out at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before authorised officer inspection.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Confirm compliance with state-government mandatory requirements under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule before the consignment is released into the domestic market. Additionally, confirm that the FSSAI NOC validity has been extended as applicable for alcoholic beverages bottled in origin and in bulk per CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 13-06-2025.
General Note 12, ITC (HS) Schedule · CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025 · FSSAI order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports FSSAI dated 13-06-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole gate-keeping document and neglecting the state-government compliance layer under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule. State-level import permits or excise approvals for alcoholic beverages vary by destination state and are independent of the central FSSAI clearance; a consignment cleared at the port of entry without state-government authorisation is liable to seizure and confiscation under the relevant State Excise Act on inland movement.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2208 30 13 require BIS certification?

No, blended whisky does not fall within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with state-government compliance obligations under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule and the DGFT Restricted-import policy applying concurrently.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

The mandatory e-Sanchit uploads are FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS); the proper officer verifies these before granting out-of-charge on PGA-facilitated bills of entry.

Has the validity of the FSSAI NOC for alcoholic beverages been extended, and does it cover bulk imports?

Yes. CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025 and FSSAI order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports FSSAI dated 13-06-2025 extend NOC validity for alcoholic beverages bottled in origin as well as imports in bulk; importers must confirm the extended validity window applies to their specific consignment before the bill of entry is filed.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.