Archive · 19 Aug 2025
India's Strict Alcohol Rules: Businesses and the Post-Work Drink
In Gujarat, India, getting a drink is surprisingly difficult.
Alcohol is generally prohibited, but the Gift City zone is an exception designed to attract foreign businesses.
Only those working there can apply for permits, and it's a hassle with many restrictions.
The government closely monitors the bars, with no advertising and early closing times.
For those without a permit, obtaining alcohol is an ordeal, involving paperwork and hurdles.
The entire system is complex and often criticized by visitors and locals alike.
Gujarat, India, has mostly prohibited alcohol for over six decades.
Gift City in Gujarat allows bars to open to attract foreign investors, but access is heavily restricted.
Individuals working in Gift City can apply for permits; some face rejection by employers or officials.
Those outside Gift City can apply for temporary permits; the process is criticized as archaic.
Regulations are strict, including no advertising and an 11 p.m. curfew enforced via CCTV.
- Who
- Foreign investors, local residents, and those seeking to obtain and consume alcohol.
- What
- Restrictions on alcohol access in Gujarat, India, particularly in Gift City.
- When
- Ongoing, with the Gift City experiment beginning last year.
- Where
- Gujarat, India, specifically in Gift City.
- Why
- To boost Gift City's appeal to foreign investors, despite strong cultural norms against alcohol.
Prohibition Supporters
Pro-Business View
Viewpoints on Alcohol Consumption
Prohibition Supporters
The state of Gujarat allows bars in a special economic zone known as Gift City to boost the area’s appeal to foreign investors. Gift City has attracted international firms like Google, Oracle and Bank of America.
Pro-Business View
Traditionalists uphold temperance as a virtue, influenced by figures like Mahatma Gandhi and the historical Indian view on alcohol consumption.
- Location
- Gujarat, India
- Area
- Gift City
- Permit Holders
- Approximately 700 issued
- Bar Curfew
- 11 p.m.
- Permit Type for Residents
- Health permit
- Temporary Permit Duration
- 30 days