Indian premium liquor makers seek fair play in Delhi, hope new govt will ease policy

"The Delhi excise policy is skewed in favour of imported liquor. For Indian premium brands with lower volumes, the cost of entry is too high," said Anant Iyer, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies. He said the industry has been urging the Delhi government to bring parity in licence fees between domestic and imported brands. "This will not only promote fair competition but also support the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives," Iyer added. The industry, he said, supports 50 lakh farmers, employs 20 lakh workers, and contributes around ₹3 lakh crore in taxes.

According to experts, the current policy requires Indian whisky brands to pay ₹25 lakh in brand-licence fees per brand, while imported (BIO – Bottled in Origin) products pay much less — between ₹50,000 and ₹3 lakh per brand. For Indian spirits, the fees are ₹25 lakh for whisky, ₹12 lakh for rum, gin, and vodka, ₹8 lakh for brandy, and ₹15 lakh for beer per brand. In contrast, imported liquors can register five brands for ₹15 lakh, with ₹50,000 for each additional brand. Imported wines and liqueurs pay ₹7 lakh for 10 brands and ₹50,000 per additional brand.

Industry representatives warn that this disparity limits consumer access to quality Indian liquor in Delhi and pushes buyers to neighbouring states, leading to a loss of revenue for the Delhi government.

(With PTI inputs)