Global chocolate makers have sweet-loving Indians in their sights

Chocolate -as well as ice cream, cakes and milk shakes - is starting to displace traditional treats among the middle classes

India has long been known for its love affair with sugar. Sweets play a major role in festivals and family celebrations and delicacies such as gulab jamun — fried dough balls soaked in syrup —and barfi —made with condensed milk — are popular gifts. Not only is India the world’s biggest consumer of sugar, it’s also one of the top producers.
 
That penchant for sweet confections together with a massive, youthful and increasingly affluent population has chocolate-makers around the world sitting up and taking notice. Indians currently eat only about a 10th as much chocolate confectionery as the global