EU–India FTA unlocking major tariff cuts on wines

India has reduced import duties on wines, spirits and beer from the European Union under the Free Trade Agreement concluded between the two sides today. As per the agreement, import tariffs on wines, currently as high as 150 percent, will be sharply reduced to 75 percent upon entry into force and will be progressively lowered to as little as 20 percent for premium wines and 30 percent for mid-range wines.

The agreement also lowered import duties on spirits, including Republic of Ireland’s whiskey, which are presently levied at rates of up to 150 percent, will be reduced to 40 percent. Similarly, import tariffs on beer will be lowered from 110 percent to 50 percent.

These duty reductions are expected to substantially lower shelf prices of European alcoholic beverages from major producing countries such as France, Italy, Spain and Germany, improving accessibility for Indian consumers and supporting wider availability across key markets.

Beyond alcoholic beverages, the India–EU Free Trade Agreement represents the most ambitious trade opening India has granted to any partner, covering extensive tariff reductions across agri-food and industrial goods. The pact is expected to deepen economic ties between the world’s second  and fourth largest economies, strengthen bilateral trade currently valued at over €180 billion annually, and reinforce a shared commitment to rules-based global trade.