APTRA backs changes to India’s arrivals duty free allowance

The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) has welcomed the announcement of a 50% increase in the airport arrivals duty free value allowance for international passengers, who are residents or tourists of Indian origin, from INR 50000 to 75000 (around $820).

For foreign tourists the arrivals duty free allowance has increased by 66.6% from 15000 to 25000 INR (approx $270), both increases made under the revised Baggage Rules 2026 and effective February 2, 2026.

Sunil Tuli, president of APTRA and group chief executive, King Power Group (Hong Kong), noted: “For several years, the duty free operators in India have made the case to the federal government to review allowances and APTRA has actively supported them in these efforts.

“Although we welcome the announcement as an encouraging step in the right direction, the industry believes there is further scope to increase allowances to a more realistic level comparable to other markets, simply by reflecting levels of currency devaluation and inflation increases since the last review in April 2016.

“The imperative to further increase India allowances is to unlock the full potential of India as one of the world’s fastest growing travel retail markets.

“In addition, an increase would support the contribution of non-aeronautical revenues to the achievement of government plans to increase the number of airports in India to over 400 by 2047, from 147 currently, and to handle one billion annual passengers by the same date.

“In tandem, the airline fleet is expected to almost triple to 2000 within the next decade, making India the world’s third-largest aviation market.”

The APTRA India Conference 2026 will be held at Bangalore International Airport between March 25-17, 2026. The topic of allowances will be included in the programme.

You can discover more about the conference here.