On the occasion of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day, Philip Morris International’s India affiliate, PMI India, reiterated its commitment to dismantling the illicit tobacco trade in the country. The company emphasized a three-pronged approach—protecting revenue, safeguarding product integrity, and curbing the informal economy—aligned with the Indian government’s landmark rollout of a pack-level Track & Trace (T&T) system for tobacco products.
India, home to an estimated 120 million tobacco users, has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest illegal cigarette market, with smuggled products making up nearly 25% of the domestic industry. Backed by global experience across over 140 countries, PMI aims to support India’s enforcement bodies with advanced traceability technology that ensures transparency and accountability in the tobacco supply chain.
Navaneel Kar, MD of IPM India, praised the government’s initiative, stating it will “boost public trust and strengthen enforcement.” Rodney Van Dooren, Head of Illicit Trade Prevention (Asia Pacific), called for a regional coalition to curb smuggling from ASEAN nations. Where cross-border trade poses a heightened risk, authorities and local retailers have welcomed stricter measures. The market has seen an influx of unregulated tobacco, undercutting legal businesses and raising health and safety concerns. Strengthening traceability could protect both livelihoods and consumers in the region.
