Smoking will burn a bigger hole in your pocket now as govt imposes new excise duty on tobacco

Cigarette prices in India are set to rise by up to 20% from February due to a sharp increase in excise duty, hitting premium large sticks the hardest. Entry-level cigarettes priced at ₹10-₹20 may disappear, affecting sales volumes for the next two to three quarters. The Tobacco Institute of India warned the hike would hurt over 40 million farmers, MSMEs, retailers, and local supply chains, while boosting illicit trade.