India’s growing need for safe and clean drinking water is rapidly increasing. Urbanisation, health awareness, and safety concerns of municipal drinking water, bottled mineral water have changed from a luxury to a necessity in homes. With demand increasing for many years with no indication of slowing down, establishing a mineral water plant could potentially be a profitable, socially exemplary venture. For entrepreneurs looking to participate in an ongoing, growing market, establishing a successful plant requires navigating and comprehending the complexities of the industry. This resource is intended to be a high-level overview of the steps necessary to establish your operations and summarise the regulatory factors.

Market Opportunity and Regulatory Landscape in 2025

The Indian bottled water industry is expected to develop rapidly in 2025 onwards. This will be driven by a middle class with rising incomes and increasing awareness of waterborne diseases. The current consumers have extra disposable income, which means they are willing to pay a premium for safe drinking water that is certified. There is a huge opportunity to take advantage of, however, you must understand the regulatory environment to take advantage of it.

In India, you must comply with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) regulations for packaged drinking water (IS 14543) and packaged natural mineral water (IS 13428). Obtaining BIS Certification means you are compliant with strict quality control measures, which will be non-negotiable for entry into the market. You will also need to register your operations with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which regulates all other food and beverage operations, including mineral water plants. In 2025, with regulators also placing more emphasis on traceability, it is important to make sure you have good compliance with the environment and are responsible

Essential Components and Setup Process

The Indian bottled water market is set for robust growth in 2025 and beyond with the expansion of the middle class, growing disposable income, and rising awareness of waterborne disease and the definition of safe drinking water. Consumers are more than willing to pay a premium for certified and safe drinking water. To take advantage of this opportunity, you need to understand the regulatory structure in India:

• In India, a mineral water plant supplier providing packaged drinking water (IS 14543) and natural mineral water (IS 13428) must pass the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) review.
• When the supplier completes the BIS process, the supplier is certified for the process with an audited quality control scheme (QCS). This is the beginning of the supplier supplying packaged drinking water, there is no opt-out.
• Additionally, to manufacture any food/beverage business, including bottled water plants, the supplier must obtain a license from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• 2025 and beyond, regulators are expected to increase emphasis on traceability, sustainable sourcing and waste management controls, indicating a high level of importance to protect the environment while the quality of a product is still paramount.
• Following the best practices outlined by FSSA will be necessary for long-term success.

Financials and Sourcing Equipment

It is important to understand the financial aspect and the overall mineral water plant cost before you go into business. The cost of the mineral water plant in India varies significantly, ranging from a few lakhs for a small semi-automatic plant to several crores for big fully automatic plants. 

 Several factors affect your total investment:

• Plant capacity: Higher production means bigger and more advanced machines
• Level of automation: Manual, Semi-automatic or fully automatic.
• Quality of machines: Branded machines from a reputable mineral water plant manufacturer and advanced technology come at a higher cost
• Land and infrastructure: Cost of land and construction of the processing unit, warehouse and office.
• Certification and licenses: Fees for BIS, FSSAI, and environmental clearance
• Utilities: Electricity, the water supply, and waste management infrastructure.
• Marketing and distribution: Initial capital for branding, packaging design, and distribution network establishment.

Conclusion

Establishing a mineral water plant in India in 2025 is an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs with a passion for supplying the growing demand for safe drinking water. Determination and planning are the main components of a successful project, but due diligence should be taken to perform due diligence on regulations such as BIS and FSSAI, and also to have a good understanding of the purification and bottling processes when setting up a bottling plant. Once you’ve thoroughly vetted regulations and the bottling process, the only variable is initial investment, which is subjective. Identifying good financial advisors, reliable manufacturers, and suppliers will help mitigate this risk. By thinking about quality, regulations, and how to implement an efficient working plant, you’ll be bottling a lot more than forethought; you’ll be bottling for a sustainable business in one of the fastest-growing marketplaces in India.

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