NEW DELHI, March 18 -- India's beer industry is betting on sun and state support to pull itself out of two years of disruption.

Early summer heat in the north and relaxed state regulations are giving brewers such as United Breweries and AB InBev a head start, but executives warn recovery remains fragile, hinging on weather, policy shifts, and supply bottlenecks.

With April and May accounting for the bulk of annual sales, the next few months could determine whether FY26 ends in modest growth or stalls once again.

Sales grew 5-6% in January and February after a rain-hit end to 2025. Vivek Gupta, chief executive officer of Bengaluru-headquartered United Breweries, told Mint, "We need to see how the weather holds up and how much it impacts...