Domestic premium liquor manufacturers in Delhi are calling on the new government to provide a level-playing field by addressing the disparity in brand-licence fees that currently favor imported brands. Industry leaders argue that the high excise costs for Indian-made premium spirits such as single-malt whiskies, wines, and gins have effectively excluded them from the Delhi market.
“The Delhi excise policy is skewed towards imported brands, making it prohibitively expensive to introduce premium Indian products,” said Anant Iyer, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies. He added, “We need a policy that promotes healthy competition and aligns with the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ visions.”
According to experts, the current policy requires Indian whisky brands to pay a registration fee of INR25 lakh per product, while imported whiskies pay between INR50,000 and INR3 lakh per brand. This disparity has led to limited availability of premium Indian liquors in the capital, forcing consumers to travel to neighboring states and causing revenue losses for Delhi.
Industry stakeholders believe that reducing licence fees for Indian brands would boost the domestic liquor industry, support farmers and workers, and generate significant tax revenue for the government.
