India has ruled out any relaxation of its ban on e-cigarettes, including heat-not-burn tobacco products, dealing a setback to lobbying efforts by Philip Morris International (PMI).
The Health Ministry said the government is “not considering revoking, amending or relaxing” the 2019 prohibition, reaffirming its commitment to evidence-based tobacco control.
The 2019 ban
In 2019, India banned:
- E-cigarettes
- Vapes
- Heated tobacco products
The law explicitly includes heat-not-burn devices such as PMI’s flagship product IQOS.
India is the world’s seventh-largest cigarette market by volume, with more than 100 billion cigarettes sold annually. Tobacco use causes over one million deaths in the country each year
Philip Morris’ lobbying push
A Reuters review of company correspondence from 2021 to 2025 shows PMI privately lobbied:
- Senior government officials
- A parliamentary health panel
- State officials at global forums like Davos
PMI argued that alternatives such as IQOS are less harmful than traditional cigarettes and should be exempted from the ban. CEO Jacek Olczak described it as “illogical” to allow cigarettes but prohibit smoking alternatives.
PMI says it holds about 76% of the global heated tobacco market and that IQOS has more than 35 million users worldwide across 79 markets.
Market stakes
PMI’s share of India’s cigarette market rose to 7.6% in 2024 from 1.75% in 2019, according to industry estimates.
Rival British American Tobacco owns a stake in Indian conglomerate ITC Limited, which dominates the domestic cigarette market.
Analysts had suggested that launching IQOS in India could offer PMI significant growth potential as heated tobacco markets mature elsewhere
Global debate on heated tobacco
Some regulators, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, have said heated tobacco products may benefit public health if smokers switch completely from cigarettes.
However, the World Health Organization has warned about potential health risks and cautioned governments against loosening controls.
India’s health ministry reiterated that the ban will remain in place, and the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research said it is not considering research on heated tobacco products at this time.
For now, India’s position is clear: smoking alternatives remain prohibited alongside e-cigarettes, despite sustained corporate lobbyin
