The India-UK Free Trade Agreement promises to be one of the most consequential policy shifts in the global alcoholic beverage sector in decades. Beyond tariff reductions, it carries wide-ranging implications for production costs, brand positioning, cross-border investment, and the balance of influence within the global spirits ecosystem.

India today stands as the largest whisky market in the world and the fastest-growing base of premium spirits consumers. The UK remains the historic powerhouse of Scotch whisky, gin, and high-end drinks. When these two markets open to each other through an FTA, the impact will be transformative. Advertisement

Tariff Restructuring and Market Dynamics

India’s current import duty on Scotch and other UK spirits is among the steepest globally, at 150%. Under

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