Author: sureshzmc07

A new study has found that the size of the illicit market in India stands at Rs 7,97,726 crore in 2022-23. The report attributes the burgeoning size of the illicit market to heightened consumption of high-value branded, luxury, high-end, taxed goods and services, especially among the expanding aspirational middle class, both in rural and urban India.

The report considered 5 key industries—FMCG (packaged goods), FMGC (personal and household care), alcohol, tobacco, and textiles & apparel—where illicit trade is undermining legitimate businesses, distorting competition, and significantly eating into government tax revenues.

FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE), in association with the Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI), has launched a report titled ‘Consuming The Illicit: How Changing Factors of Consumption Affect Illegal Markets in 5 Key Industries‘.

Rural India

The illicit market in these five categories has expanded faster in rural India, especially among the growing classes of middle- and lower-income groups. In essence, the menace of counterfeiting and illicit trade seems to have broken new ground since earlier it was more of an upper-income phenomenon, more pronounced in urban reaches of the country.

Therefore, the changing spending pattern—with rising disposable incomes—highlights consumers opting for products that are taxed more, such as products carrying tax rates of 28% in the case of beauty and cosmetic products and readymade garments which are taxed at 12-18%, which allow illicit players to use arbitrage for economic gains.

The impact is far more profound in the case of industries that have historically been exposed to higher tax regimes, i.e. tobacco and alcohol. In the case of tobacco products, above 50% of the illicit markets can be attributed to the effect of a punitive tax on the industry and similarly for alcohol such effect is 46%.

Magnitude Of Rising Illicit Trade

While there has been a shift in consumer patterns which has led to an increase in expenditure in different industries, illicit markets are also growing gradually.

FMCG (Packaged foods)

The illicit market has grown from Rs 1,12,474 crores in 2011-12 to Rs 2,23,875 crores in 2022-23, marking an increase of 99%.

• Urban Segment: Middle class (fractiles 30- 60%) median MPCE saw a 158% increase, representing an aspiring class driving consumption of higher-value/quality packaged foods. This group is more exposed to smuggled or counterfeit high-value products as they seek aspirational goods in line with their rising incomes.
• Rural Segment: Lower-income group (fractiles 0-30%) median MPCE saw a 221% consumption increase over the 2011-12 to 2022-23 period; is most vulnerable to low-quality or illicit products due to price sensitivity and rising consumption.

FMCG (Personal and Household Care Goods)

The estimates for the illicit market of P&H care goods in India have grown from Rs 43,010 crores in 2017-18 to Rs 73,813 crores in 2022-23 (71.6%).

• Rural Segment: Across all rural classes, P&H goods jumped 199% in current prices as against 60.8% of constant prices. Among middle-income households (50- 90 % fractiles) increased significantly with current prices rising by 192% to 208%. These products have tax implications at varying rates and such demand also sees the profusion of counterfeit, smuggled and other illicit products into the markets.
• Urban Segment: The expenditure on P&H care goods increased by 182% at current prices. The higher income group shows slower growth.

Textiles and Apparels

Witnessed a rise of 29.67% growth in illicit trade between 2017-18 and 2022-23. In terms of current prices, the illicit market grew from Rs 3,11,494 crores in 2017-18 to Rs 4,03,915 crores in 2022-23.

• In both rural and urban segments, the lower-income group between fractiles 0-30% (with a 229% and 231% increase, respectively) is most vulnerable to low-quality or illicit household and personal care due to price sensitivity and rising consumption. On the other hand, the middle class between fractiles 30-60% (with a 139% and 196% median increase, respectively) represents the aspiring middle class which is susceptible to smuggled or counterfeit high-value products.

Alcoholic Beverages

Witnessed a rise of 153.5% between 2017-18 and 2022-23. In current price value terms, the illicit market reached Rs 66,106 crore for 2022-23, after Rs 48,134 crores in 2021-22.

• Trend of premiumisation, driven by the younger population
• The overall monthly per capita expenditure for alcoholic beverages increased by 365%, suggesting an increase in both volume and value terms.
• Rural: Lower-income class ( fractiles 0-30%) is driving alcohol consumption.
• Urban: Monthly expenditure increase in urban India is much higher compared to rural India. Indicates shifting cultural attitudes toward alcohol consumption.
• The high tax rate is a key contributing factor to alcoholic beverages’ illicit markets. On average, the tax component of the illicit alcohol market has accounted for 46% of total illicit alcohol consumption over the past six years, rising from 39.7% in 2017-18 to 42% in 2023. The average illicit alcohol consumption due to taxes is Rs 20,741 crores between 2017-18 and 2022-23

-Tobacco Products

Between 2018-19 and 2022-23, the illicit tobacco market grew by 17.7%, from Rs 25,495 crore to Rs 30,012 crore.

• Rural: Among lower-income rural groups, spending in this category shows a significant rise of 178-193%.
• Across all urban classes, expenditure on tobacco products also witnessed an increase. The rise in urban consumption in value terms is driven by taxes and inflation.
• In terms of the illicit markets of tobacco, over 50% of its growth is attributed to tax increases. The tax component rose from 15% in 2018-19 to 53.9% by 2022-23.
• In the lowest-income groups (0-30% fractiles), rural consumers see a gap between marketed products and actual consumption of total tobacco products. Urban counterparts have similar gaps, indicating their vulnerability to illicit tobacco products due to limited financial capacity.
• Government-mandated pictorial warnings have led to the growth of the smuggled cigarettes weaning consumers from the domestic legal industry.

New Consumption Pattern In India

India has experienced exponential economic growth in the past couple of decades. India’s growing consumption economy—at current prices, both rural and urban consumption has increased by 7.6 times in 2022-23 compared to 1999-2000—is driven by rising income and increasing purchasing power of a larger section of the population, urbanisation, age demographics, education, and upward social and economic mobility reflected in more aspirational choices of goods and services.

India witnessed a surge in per capita income between 2011-12 and 2022-23.

But, the mismatch between purchasing power and aspiration has increasingly fed into an ever-increasing space for illicit markets and counterfeiting.

Rise Of the Middle Class

In rural India spending by the upper income group fell between 2011-12 and 2022-23, but, in contrast, spending by middle-income groups has increased in the same period. In urban areas too, between 2011-12 and 2022-23, the same trend was seen.

Income Growth: Rising household incomes, supplemented by higher per capita earnings, have led to greater purchasing power in the hands of Indian consumers, spurring consumption of non-essential goods.

Urbanisation: As more people migrate from rural to urban areas in search of better economic opportunities, their consumption habits also evolve.

Age demographics: Millennials in India, particularly those aged 25-44, are driving consumption trends with a focus on lifestyle services fuelled by a better standard of living. India’s working-age population has significantly influenced spending growth.

Rising Education Levels: From 2011 to 2022, there was a 50% rise in education attainment (bachelor’s degree or equivalent), which significantly improved their earning potential. Higher education levels often result in access to better-paying jobs, and more likelihood of spending toward non-essential items.

Singer-actor Lady Gaga and her fiancé Michael Polansky touched down in London to promote her movie ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. On the one hand, where their style was making a statement, their public display of affection on the red carpet won hearts.
A picture captured a candid and sweet moment between Lady Gaga and her fiancé Michael Polansky, where the two were involved in a romantic kiss.With their love-drenched moment, they stirred romance in the air and painted the whole town red.
Talking of red, that indeed was the color of the event as Lady Gaga was dressed in an elegant and vibrant scarlet custom-made floor-length gown. For her makeup, she channeled her ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ character, Harley Quinn. A dramatic bright turquoise eyeshadow with sequins and a sparkling teardrop spilling from one eye with red bold lips, she turned heads in no time. Further, her dark red bob hair with short bangs simply added another feather to the hat.
Coming to the movie ‘Joker: Folie a Deux,’ it stars Gaga with Joaquin Phoenix. The movie is a sequel to Todd Phillips directed 2019’s Joker. Further, on Tuesday, September 24, the singer announced her new album, ‘Harlequin,’ which is a companion album to ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ One of the highlights of the album is that it features songs inspired by her character, Harleen “Lee” Quinzel.
Lady Gaga’s character has multiple layers to it, and it isn’t easy to let go of the impact of such a role. “I don’t really know if I did because I’ve made a whole record about her. I think the whole experience inspired me through and through,” Gaga told Sky News on the red carpet.
She also spoke about the companion album and said, “It was so amazing to get to know this character through music, through the script, through dance, through all this tremendous collaboration.”
Last but not least, speaking about her collaboration with Phoenix, Gaga revealed the two asked each other for tips all the time and she loved working with Joaquin. “There was never a dull day at the office. It was always super interesting, it was fun. As dark as the world of Joker is, we laughed a lot on set and we were always being as organic as possible,” she said.

Former WWE Champion Big E recently spoke about the increasing tension between his New Day teammates, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. Over the past few months, fans have noticed a strain in the once-unbreakable bond between the two. Xavier Woods, feeling overshadowed by his stablemates’ successes and frustrated by their failure to capture tag team gold since 2021, has been growing more insecure.
Targeted by Karrion Kross and The Final Testament, Woods’ concerns have escalated, causing tension within the team. Recently Big E shed light on the situation, offering insight into the dynamics of the group.
Also Read : Nikki Bella’s Luxurious Lifestyle. Exploring the Personal life of the ex-fiance of the 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena

Here’s everything you need to know about what Big E said regarding the New Day

Big E has been sidelined due to a serious neck injury, and during his absence, tensions have been brewing within his faction, The New Day, which seems to be on the verge of splitting. In a recent interview with Sports Talk Philly, Big E opened up about the growing strain between his New Day teammates, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston.
Big E Stated :
“We’ve had a long run. Ten years is a very long time. We’ve been guys where you’ve never really seen any tension from us, but Kofi and Woods right now are going through a bit of turmoil.”
“I think that happens in any marriage, whether it’s a long-lasting one or not. But that’s how people approach being a team together: it feels very much like a marriage in the way you communicate, and sometimes you’re not always on the same page.”
“I don’t know exactly what he’s alluding to. I’ve for the most part been hands-off with what those guys are going through right now.”
“I’m still very connected, but it’s one of those things where I don’t want to meddle or be involved if I’m not asked to be involved. I’m hopeful that whatever they are going through they will figure out.” (Via Sports Talk Philly)
As the 10th anniversary of The New Day approaches, Big E reflected on the team’s journey and stated:
“We spent a decade together, even at a time when no one foresaw us doing these incredible things.”
“The only reason we made it through the tough times in 2014 and 2015 was because we stuck together. It was us against everyone that stood in our way.”
“So I hope more than anything that those guys always remember why we started this, why we came together and how much we care about each other.”
“Ultimately, that’s really what matters, even when we’re done wrestling. It’s a friendship and a bond that will survive long past our in-ring days, and I hope they never forget that.” (Via Sports Talk Philly)

Big E recently also opened up about his WWE return, stating that he’s not in a rush to come back, as he feels he’s still not fully ready and wants to return at the right time. It remains to be seen when Big E will make his comeback and what the future holds for Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and The New Day. Will the group split, or will everything work out? Only time will tell.
Also Read : Dominik Mysterio Luxurious Lifestyle: Expensive Properties, Car Collections, Net Worth and more

MUMBAI: Overjoyed by India’s remarkable dual triumph at the Chess Olympiad, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand said that while this marks a promising beginning, there is still much work to be done for women’s chess in the country.
India scripted history on Sunday as both its men’s and women’s teams secured their first-ever titles, achieving a remarkable clean sweep of gold medals at the Chess Olympiad.
But while in recent times, the men’s game has surged in popularity with young Indian talents like R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh making waves on the world stage, in contrast, the women’s game has struggled to match this trajectory.
“It’s a very good beginning. I think still a long way to go because we must continuously keep progressing,” Anand told PTI, at the sidelines of Tech Mahindra Global Chess League.
“And more important, get more and more girls to play and I think exactly this result will inspire more girls to play, and that is the hope,” he added.
The 54-year-old chess icon who has inspired the current young crop of chess players creating a splash on the global stage was delighted to witness history being created by them.
“First of all that, great pride that it had happened. It’s not like the result caught me by surprise, It had been the case for a couple of hours already, so you prepare yourself.”
“But you’re happy to suddenly realize that you’re double Olympiad champion, I know all of them for many, many years, and there’s also the feeling of being with friends who had great success.”
“I personally enjoyed being there. I enjoyed listening to the anthems two times. And I knew that the whole world kind of took notice of India’s performance,” he added.
Although India’s performance at the Olympiad is commendable, Anand warned that other teams will analyze their results and return even stronger.
“Depending on which metric you use, you can say India is number one or number two or number three maximum,” he said when asked how long will it take for India to reach the level of Russia, USA and China.
“But look, every country goes back and learns lessons and so the other teams will take their disappointment, they’ll go back and they’ll come back stronger.
“That’s how sport is. I don’t think success is assured for us. But we’ve got fantastic players who are going to compete for the best events for the next decade at least.
Anand feels that to continue the recent success momentum of chess in the country, India must tap into the talent at the grassroot level.
“First, grow the game. Increase the base of the pyramid, so to speak. And support players at all levels. Events like the Global Chess League play a big part in that because they give a lot of people opportunities.
“Unexpectedly, you might play a much bigger role than you expected. Teams victory, all these things will boost. But we want many more things like that to happen,” he added.
Anand will be in action in the Global Chess League from October 3 to 12 in London where he will turn out for the Ganges Grandmasters.
Talking about the league he said “I enjoyed the first league very much and I’m looking forward to the second. I’ve played in London many, many times and I’m quite excited about it. What do I think will be the result? Obviously, I hope that we will first qualify for the final and then win it.”

On Dev Anand’s 101st birth anniversary, Hema Malini shared heartfelt memories on Instagram, recalling his warmth and ability to make her feel at ease during their film collaborations. Fans celebrated his legacy, remembering him as a legendary actor and filmmaker, known for classics like ‘Guide’ and ‘Jewel Thief’. He passed away in 2011.

On legendary actor and filmmaker Dev Anand‘s 101st birth anniversary, actor Hema Malini shared cherished memories of Dev Saab and how she misses his warm presence still.
On Thursday, Hema Malini took to Instagram to share several pictures with Dev Anand from the films they worked on together, along with a note.
“I have such lovely memories of Dev Saab who was in fact the hero of my 2nd big release with a top actor.I was raw, and in awe but he quickly put me at ease and behaved as if he was a good friend. This attitude continued till the end always exuding energy that would stimulate everyone. I would never feel low or sad when he was around,” she said.

“His calling me “Hema!” still reverberates in my ears. I truly loved him for the extraordinary person that he was and miss his warm presence even today. Happy birthday Dev Saab!,” she added.
As soon as the post was shared, fans and industry members chimed in the comment section.
Jackie Shroff wrote, “Respects.”
Another user commented, “Golden Era.”
“Ma’am, you are so beautiful… No one can match your aura to this day. Stay blessed always,” another comment read.
Dev Anand was born on September 26, 1923, and is considered one of the most successful actors in Bollywood.
In a career spanning almost six decades, the actor left a mark with his roles in films like ‘Guide,’ ‘Taxi Driver,’ ‘Jewel Thief’ and ‘CID’.
He broke new grounds, playing a smuggler in ‘Jaal,’ absconding gang member in ‘Dushman,’ black marketeer in ‘Kalabazaar’ and a murderer in ‘Bombay Ka Babu.
Besides being an actor, he was also a writer, director, and producer.
The late actor, who received India’s third-highest civilian award, Padma Bhushan took his last breath in his room at The Washington Mayfair Hotel in London, at the age of 88 on December 3, 2011.

Vijay Sundar Prashanth (left and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan with the trophy after winning the ATP 250 Series doubles title at Hangzhou Open (Photo Credits ATP)

For Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, the ATP Tour doubles title in Hangzhou marks a sort of Jeev 2.0 — not only has his game has matured and become more solid since he won his maiden title at his home town of Chennai, but he is also able to understand better the significance of triumph and what it means to his career going forward.
The 35-year-old left-hander claimed the ATP 250 Series event in Hangzhou, China, in the company of his friend and fellow Tamil Nadu player Vijay Sundar Prashanth, beating Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens of Germany 4-6, 7-6 (5), 10-7 in the hard-court final on Sunday.
Jeevan’s first title had come in 2017 at the Chennai Open in the company of veteran Davis Cupper and Australian Open Grand Slam champion Rohan Bopanna.
“I think (I am) a little bit more experienced. I remember the first title was a little sooner than I thought,” Jeevan, who has climbed 27 spots on the ATP ladder to be ranked 86 in doubles, told The Times of India.
“After switching to doubles, Rohan and I had won Chennai in 2017 and I didn’t really know where that title was going to take me, you know.
“I was just kind of excited to be playing Grand Slams, because that title happened to push me into the top 100. And ironically, this title has also pushed me into the top 100.
“But I would say, (in) 2017 I was kind of naive without any real path to move forward after achieving a 250 title. But now, I’m feeling much calmer after winning a title of this stage, because I have a set partner and I have schedule which works in our favour.
“And I’m healthy, I’m able to see that there is definitely going to be an exciting path to be playing with the same partner and consistently at a higher level.”
It has been an eventful year for him so far, and Jeevan, wiser with experience, feels things are falling in place for him.
“This year has not been very easy, there have been a lot of ups and downs. But very happy to be playing with Vijay, who’s one of my closest friends, not just on tour, but in life,” he said.
“We’ve been patient as a team. We’ve been learning how to get to our best ability together.
“As the as far as the emotions are concerned, I think in goal setting, it was very clear for me that this was going to be the year for me to build something, because I’m always looking at long term with my partners.
“I have only played with a handful of people my whole career. So with Vijay, we are just building something to give ourselves an opportunity to be, you know, a set team in the Grand Slams next year.”
A long-term partnership has become a rare phenomenon in modern doubles and Jeevan looks at it practically.
“A lot of teams are looking to build partnerships together. You can see (that) even with the Double Dream of India. So many teams are sticking together, and we’re just trying to figure out what best combinations are going to get us all into the Grand Slams,” he said.
“Today was a good day for Vijay and me, but the season has been good for Balaji and even Yuki has been doing very well.
“The ideal goal for this program is to see all the players sitting at the Slam, taking a group picture.”