European wines to get less expensive under India-EU FTA

New Delhi (PTI): European wines are set to enter the Indian market at lower prices under the bilateral free trade agreement as India will provide import duty concessions under the pact, an official said.

Under the pact, the duty on EU wines would fall from 150 per cent to 20 per cent (for expensive ones).

For wines below 2.5 euros, there will be no duty concessions.

Indian wines, too, will get duty concessions in the EU member countries.

India and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday announced the conclusion and finalisation of negotiations for a free trade agreement. The agreement is expected to be signed later this year and may come into force from early next year. The talks were concluded after 18 years. The negotiations started in 2007.

Under the agreement, India will be giving duty concessions to the wines of the European Union (EU) in line with what it has agreed for Australia and New Zealand, but with slightly lower thresholds.

It was a key demand for the EU.

The official said Indian wine too will get market access in the EU, which can cater to the demands of the growing Indian diaspora. The EU will eliminate duties for Indian wine.

"Like auto, wine is one of the biggest exportable items for the Indian industry. So for them, it is very important. And we have given duty concessions in a calibrated way. The duties will be reduced in seven years," the official said.

India has given similar timelines for the sector in its FTA with Australia and New Zealand.

India has followed the model used in its Australia trade deal, under which wine tariffs fall gradually over 10 years.

India has also received a quota-based reduction in duties on table grapes from the EU. The EU imports about USD 1.4 billion worth of table grapes annually.

"We have got duty-free access for around USD 100 million, that is 85,000 tons of grapes. India can export at MFN (existing duty) rates also," the official said, adding that duty concessions are there for EU whiskies also.

In the alcoholic beverages segment, India's exports to the EU include wines (USD 1.4 million in 2024-25), blended whiskeys, Vodka, Brandy, and liqueurs (USD 24.5 million). The imports are wines (USD 7.9 million), blended whiskeys, brandy, Gin Tequila, Vodka, Liqueurs (USD 87.8 million).