The new trade body aims to preserve, promote, and protect India's malt whisky heritage, positioned alongside global whisky giants such as the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), Irish Whiskey Association (IWA), and Japanese Spirits & Liquor Whisky Association (JSLMA).

The IMWA is “committed to ensure that the industry produces world-class malt whiskies that compete with international brands while promoting 'Made in India' labels”, the association said in a statement.

The IMWA is led by founder director general Dr Rajesh Chopra, with four founding members representing the biggest Indian single malt producers, based in New Delhi.

The founding members include Paul John, Amrut, Radico Khaitan, and Piccadily Agro. 

"Defining guidelines, securing certifications, trademarks, geographical indications (GI), and intellectual property rights (IPR) are essential steps to build trust in the authenticity and quality of Indian malt whiskies. By establishing these standards, we signal to the world that India produces malt whisky of unparalleled quality and distinction," said Chopra.

The IMWA’s qualification criteria for Indian single malts and pure malts state it must be:

• Produced from 100% malted barley
• Made in a single distillery using copper pot stills (not column stills)
• Crafted with only malted barley, pure water, and yeast
• Matured for a minimum of three years in wooden oak barrels of less than 700 litres capacity
• Pure malts or 100% malt whisky, a mixture of two or more different malts from different distilleries

Chopra added: "We have observed the launch of so-called Indian single malts by companies lacking proper malt distilleries. Such practices undermine the credibility of the category. It is critical to uphold the hard-earned reputation of Indian malt whisky on the global stage."

The association will also collaborate with state authorities to enforce standards and will pursue legal action against violators.