How Big Tobacco, e-cigarette makers are jousting for favourable regulations

At stake is a 110 billion per annum sticks cigarette market with 11.3% of world's cigarette smokers in India

Big tobacco in India is facing a new challenge — global manufacturers and Indian importers of e-cigarettes, or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). At stake is a 110 billion per annum sticks cigarette market. India is home to 11.3 per cent of the world’s cigarette smokers with the market dominated by ITC. Tough taxation policies have slowed the growth to be sure, it is still a huge market. Yet ENDS is not even a Rs 300 crore market — mostly coming through the grey market — so many manufacturers of e-cigarettes like Juul and Philip Morris see a large potential. 

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