UK’s scotch whisky industry hails Indian court verdict

LONDON: The £5-billion Scotch whisky industry is celebrating a recent decision by one of India’s new commercial courts that granted permanent injunctions against three Indian companies which were passing off products as “Scotch”.

Commercial courts were set up early this year to resolve actions promptly and efficiently. Two months after the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) filed proceedings, the court gave its judgement in February, to much cheer in Scotland.

Protected by Geographical Indication (GI) and other rules, the industry has taken action in India and several other countries where locally produced alcohol is allegedly passed off as Scotch.

The commercial court passed the injunctions against three related companies in India – Oasis Distilleries, Adie Broswon Distillers & Bottlers and Malbros International. The court prohibited them from selling whiskies produced in India with references on their labels to Scotch, Scotch Whisky or Scotland.

“Such decisions can only be good for Scotch in India, and for consumers. Let’s raise a dram to that,” the SWA said.

The companies were also prohibited from using any words, names, images evocative of Scotland or Scotch Whisky unless the product is genuine, the SWA said.

The proceedings related to three “whiskies”, Royal Arms, Blue Patrol and Malbros, that allegedly used Scotch Whisky on their labelling.