New Delhi, March 25 -- The Indian alcoholic beverage industry is sounding the alarm. Battered by soaring raw material costs triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict, two of India's most powerful industry bodies have formally urged state governments to approve significant price hikes of 15 per cent.

The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), the apex body of India's alcoholic beverage sector, has written to state governments seeking price revisions for Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) products. The body is asking for an increase ranging between Rs 100 and Rs 150 per case of 9 litres, depending on the product segment and bottle weight.

Anant S. Iyer, Director General of CIABC, told ANI, "We would like a price ...