When the EU and India signed their long‑awaited trade pact in January, European vintners swarmed Indian wine consultants. Sonal Holland, a leading Indian wine expert, says she received more than 100 emails that week from producers eager to crack a market that has so far eluded them. The flood of interest reflects a global glut of wine and the search for fresh drinkers.

India’s wine market, worth almost $450 million in 2024, should rise 14 % by 2029, while global wine sales sit near $200 billion and are forecast to dip. With wine accounting for just 1 % of total alcohol spend, rising affluence makes the country a growth outlet. The pact will slash EU wine tariffs from 150 % to 75 % now and to 20 %, sharpening competition for majors Sula, Fratelli and Grover Zampa.

Sula, which supplies over half of Indian volumes, posted a 68 % profit plunge after weak demand in Karnataka forced destocking, yet its premium range above Rs1,700 remains tariff‑protected. Grover Zampa’s COO Sumit Jaiswal sees the agreement as a chance to expand wine tourism and boost premium sales, provided Indian producers raise quality to match imported labels.