Wine and India

Wine has been produced in India for over five thousand years. Today, India has 123,000 acres of vineyards, of which only 1% are used for wine production.

With its booming economy – currently the fourth largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) – and a burgeoning middle class, the Indian wine market  today, is growing at over 30% a year. Currently standing at 1.2 million cases, the Indian wine market is expected to reach 10 million cases in 10 years.

Since India joined the WTO, import tariffs in the country have been steadily lowered, making it easier for foreign exporters to tap into India’s vast consumer market.

Recently, in response to the requirements of international wine exporters, the Indian government has declared its intention to set up a wine board to facilitate imports into the country.

India’s Exim Policy now allows hotels to use 5% of their foreign exchange revenue to import alcoholic drinks without duties. Along with less restrictive import procedures than only a few years ago, the Indian wine market is now finally accessible to international wine producers and exporters.