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Bourbon whiskey import duty slashed from 150% to 50%: How much will your favourite whiskey cost now?
- India has announced an import duty cut on US-made bourbon whiskey, slashing the taxes from 150% to 50% in a run up to PM Narendra Modi's talks with US President Donald Trump. Here is how much bourbon whiskey price will be after the duty cut.
Prices of bourbon whiskey imported from the US are expected to reduce significantly in India after the Centre cut its import duty from 150% to 50% amid an India-US mega trade deal. The slashing of customs duty on bourbon whiskey was notified a little ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with US President Donald Trump.
The US accounts for one-fourth of all bourbon whiskey imported into India, becoming the primary exporter for this liquor. According to a Department of Revenue notification, the bourbon whiskey import duty has now been fixed at 50%, down from the earlier 150%.
US bourbon whiskies sold in India
Two major brands of bourbon whiskey sold in India are Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. Woodford Reserve, Maker's Mark, Gentleman Jack, and Old Forester are some of the other major brands sold in India, imported from the US.
New bourbon whiskey price in India after import duty cut
The average bourbon whiskey price in India can start from ₹3,000 and go up from there, depending on the taxes imposed by states and other variables. In the case of Jack Daniel’s, the prices start at around ₹3,250. The import duty cut is expected to bring this price down to the ₹1,800-2,000 range depending on the value added taxes charged by states.
Costlier bourbon whiskies are expected to go through higher price cuts given their higher base price.
What is bourbon whiskey?
Originating from America, bourbon whiskey is a type of whiskey made from corn. Known for its mild sweet taste, the whiskey is made with at least 51% corn, giving it its distinct flavour. Bourbon whiskey is aged in oak barrels, and can be technically made only in the United States.
Bourbon whiskey was recognised as a “distinctive product of the United States” by the US Congress in 1964, with Kentucky and Tennessee housing the largest distilleries in the country.
US-India $500 billion trade deal
The bourbon whiskey import duty cut was announced in a run-up to the Modi-Trump meeting at the White House on Thursday.
On February 14 (IST), PM Narendra Modi announced that India and the United States have agreed to double their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Modi, who was on a two-day visit to the US, said that the countries will soon come out with mutually beneficial bilateral agreements.
“We have ... set ourselves the target of more than doubling our bilateral trade to attain $500 billion by 2030. Our teams will work on concluding a mutually beneficial trade agreement very soon,” PM Modi said in a joint press conference with Donald Trump, post the meeting of the two world leaders.
In 2024, the bilateral trade between the US and India stood at a record high of $129.2 billion.
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Business NewsEconomyBourbon whiskey import duty slashed from 150% to 50%: How much will your favourite whiskey cost now?
First Published:15 Feb 2025, 06:10 PM IST
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