Bishan Kumar

At Delhi's government-run liquor vends, what should be a simple purchase often spirals into a chaotic, dispiriting ordeal.

The EU-India FTA is not an immediate disruption to India's domestic alcohol industry but a calibrated strategic shift that will gradually reshape competition, pushing domestic producers to evolve through premiumisation, enforcement-backed regulation, and long-term adaptability rather than relying on tariff protection.

When the India–EU free trade agreement is ratified next year, prices of some of the biggest-selling European brands are expected to change in the first phase. As import duties are phased out over time, consumers are likely to see gradual price reductions.