Italian wine tries to open new markets. Like that, potentially enormous, of India

In times when historical wine markets seem to be setting the pace a little, and with undergoing global commercial tensions between duties and against duties which risk changing the scenario in few days, diversify is more than ever a code word. As Italian wine system is trying to do with its most important fair platform, Vinitaly, which, in the last days, made a stop in India, in New Delhi. Capital of an enormous and complex country with 1.5 billion of inhabitants, in which the divisions among social classes are still very strong, and, where, wine market is still small, but promising: in India, Italian wine expresses a retail value of 33 million of Usa dollars (including taxes) with a share market on import brushing against 17%. It is the third supplier considering the value in a market which is worth 418 million dollars, explains Vinitaly, dominated in volume by home wines (77%) representing a share with a value of 50%. Considering the value, Italy represents the second player of import products with about a million liters, whilst, considering the value, it is behind Australia (share at 30%), and France (19%). The criticality is due to the positioning of Italian wine, whose 70% is linked to entry-level products with France leading premium segment. According to Observatory Uiv-Vinitaly basing on Iswr data, the typology sparkling wine is strongly increasing, which, by 2028, will see its sales double reaching quota 20 million of dollars. These figures are destined with any probability to a substantial revision upwards, still underlines Vinitaly, once finalized the agreement of free exchange announced by Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi, and by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, whose signature is foreseen by the end of this year.
“In a context of commercial wars strongly arising  – declared president Veronafiere Federico Bricolo -  we look with interest to the strategic partnership between India and the European Union announced few days ago. Up to today, the sales of Italian wine in India are marginal if compared to the overall business of our products in the world, which, in 2024, overcame 8 billion dollars of export. But, we are convinced that India can represent an increasingly more important end market for a beverage, such as wine, which has always been symbol of moderation in alcohol consumption. For this reason, our Observatory Unione Italiana Vini-Vinitaly estimates a growth in consumption of 40% between 2024 and 2028. A forecast, which, thanks to its new bilateral agreements, can reserve higher increases”.
“With Vinitaly, we represent Italian wine, and the main producing country in the world for variety, which is Italy. Our fair is the first event in the world for Italian wine promotion with 90,000 operators of which over a third coming from 140 nations on average, in Verona, every year  - underlined dg Veronafiere Adolfo Rebughini -  at Vinitaly, Indian buyers are already stable hosts, over a hundreds those present at the last edition, but it is not sufficient: we hope to make participation increasingly more central. For this reason, we are here to promote Italian wine with some company members of primary importance, but also to raise the level of partnership with a continuous and preferential relationship aiming to selection, and lure increasingly more professional operators at Vinitaly. India is a country which is undergoing a strong economic growth, and knows better than others among the Asiatic markets, Western culture and traditions, which partly already shares”.