India Overtakes France to Become UK’s Largest Market of Scotch Whisky

India has overtaken France to become the UK’s largest market of Scotch whisky in terms of volume with a 60 per cent hike in imports in 2022 over the previous year, according to figures from Scotland’s leading industry body. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said that India imported 219 million 70cl bottles of Scotch compared to France’s 205 million last year – representing growth of the Indian Scotch market of more than 200 per cent in the past decade. A UK-India FTA deal which eases the 150 per cent tariff burden on Scotch whisky in India could boost market access for Scotland’s whisky companies, allowing for an additional GBP 1 billion of growth over the next five years. The value of the Indian market for Scotch exports comes in at fifth worth GBP 282 million, up 93 per cent in 2021 and behind France, Singapore and Taiwan. Overall, the year 2022 saw solid growth in Scotch exports around the world, with the US holding on to its topmost position as the largest market by value at GBP 1,053 million. According to SWA data, on average the equivalent of 53 bottles of Scotch Whisky are exported every second — up from 44 per second in 2021. UK Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston said that the Scotch whisky industry contributes billions of pounds to the economy and supports thousands of jobs.