Legal cigarette industry reeling under pressure The legitimate cigarette industry in India declined steadily since 2010-11 at a CAGR of 4.8% p.a., however, illegal cigarette volumes have grown at about 5% p.a. during the same period, making India the 4th largest illegal cigarette market in the world. This results in ` 130bn revenue loss to the government each year. While legal cigarettes in India contribute 87% of tax revenue, it constitutes only 11% of tobacco consumption. India is studying the Kenyan model of tracking tobacco products to curb illicit trade that leads to loss of tax revenue. The mechanism...