Wine and tax

Here's hoping for more wine-friendly policies in India

I  have never tired of advocating that fermented alcoholic beverages like wine and beer need to be treated differently from spirits, both in licensing and taxation as well as in general regulatory matters. These are relatively low-alcohol products that are not “injurious to health”.

Unfortunately, in India the authorities tend to club all alcoholic beverages under the same regulatory umbrella, with minor concessions regarding taxes for wine and beer. Given the fact that alcoholic beverages are a “state” subject, every state (and Union Territory) has its own rules and regulations (and duties and taxes), this makes for a bewildering mosaic of