Author: HBI Staff | New Delhi

The Indian Culinary Institute (ICI), an institute under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi to enable the university to award degrees to students successfully completing these programmes at ICI. The MoU was signed by Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor, JNU, and Gyan Bhushan, Director, ICI, on behalf of their respective institutions, in the presence of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, and  Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism. The BBA and MBA programmes offered by ICI aim to develop highly skilled chefs and hospitality…

Khyber (K2) Aquaculture, which operates one of India’s largest integrated Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS)-based Himalayan trout farming and processing facilities in Jammu & Kashmir, has secured a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence for its facility at Chak Akhal Kangan, Ganderbal. The licence covers the manufacture, trade and retail of fish and fish products, providing the regulatory foundation for the company to expand into packaged trout products and strengthen its presence across retail, distribution and institutional channels. The company is preparing to launch its initial range in fresh, chilled and frozen formats. The products will include boneless…

The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the food licence of Seven Seas Hospitality in Delhi’s Rohini with immediate effect. After the inspection carried out at the FBOs premises, the food regulator has asked the food business operator to cease all its food activities with immediate effect. In a post, FSSAI said, “Licence of FBO M/s Seven Seas Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. has been suspended with immediate effect due to serious food safety violations identified during inspection. The action reflects FSSAI’s continued focus on ensuring compliance, hygiene and safe food practices across food businesses.” According to FSSAI,…

India’s participation at Gulfood 2027 received a significant boost with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and InD Events Dubai at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of Commerce Secretary, Rajesh Agrawal. India will return as the Official Partner Country for Gulfood 2027, marking the second consecutive year of the partnership and building on the visibility and business momentum generated through India’s participation at Gulfood 2026. On signing the MoU, Agrawal said that India’s continued status as the Official Partner Country at Gulfood reflects the growing…

KB Kachru, Chairman – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group and President of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) has said that while the hospitality jobs are known to be “highly demanding” with less work-life balance, it creates more space for better career growth and opportunities for people who are passionate and committed. He said that it is always character, attitude and consistency that make good hospitality leaders. Kachru was addressing the 41st Convocation of International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA) in Delhi. Sharing his own long professional journey as a hotelier, Kachru said that what is most important in the…

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, has informed that the amended Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2026 would come into effect from January 1, 2027. The government had amended Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 through the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, with the objective of strengthening consumer protection while facilitating a transparent and balanced regulatory framework for the e-commerce sector. The amended Rules seek to address emerging consumer concerns in the digital marketplace while taking into account the need for Ease of Doing Business and a balanced approach that protects consumer interests without imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens on…

In a major embarrassment to luxury hotels in the national capital, serious food safety and hygiene related lapses have been reported in the   inspections conducted by the country’s food safety regulator, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at Aerocity Hospitality District. The two premium hotels which have come under the scanner included Andaz Delhi, a unit of Juniper Hotels, and JW Marriott Aerocity New Delhi, owned by Aria Hotels. In an official release, FSSAI has said that a team of food inspectors have inspected these hotels and found “serious lapses of food safety and hygiene” by these…

As consumer preferences rapidly move from eating more to eating better, young chefs stand at the threshold of a major entrepreneurial opportunity, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at the grand finale of the National Young Chef Competition (NYCC) in the capital. Addressing finalists at the competition organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) with support from the Indian Federation of Chefs Associations (IFCA), the minister underlined that the global food ecosystem is undergoing a fundamental shift—from food measured by volume and quantity to food evaluated by nutrition, quality and purpose. Citing rapid urbanisation,…

As India and European Union is on the verge of concluding the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, the organisers of the second annual VinItaly roadshow expressed hopes of a big breakthrough for wine imports to India which amply reflected in the participation of vineyards in the two-city show this year. The Italian wine industry is looking at India not merely as a market, but as a long-term cultural and strategic partner, with the proposed EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) expected to significantly alter the landscape for wine imports. With the heightened prospects of wine being included in the FTA list for…

India’s hospitality industry witnessed a year of renewed optimism and sustained momentum in 2025, driven by strong demand across spiritual, cultural, experiential and event-led travel segments, according to K.B. Kachru, President of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) and Chairman–South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. “2025 has been a year of renewed optimism for India’s hospitality sector, marked by sustained momentum and strong demand indicators,” Kachru said, noting that spiritual tourism emerged as one of the most significant growth drivers for hotels during the year. He pointed out that destinations such as Ayodhya, Jammu, Varanasi, Puri, Amritsar and Tirupati witnessed exceptional…