The New Language of Gifting

There was a time when what you carried out of India mattered less than what you brought back. You left with handicrafts and snacks, and came back with a treasure chest of chocolates, perfumes and duty-free goods which spoke of the aspirations of a generation.

This equation is now flipping. When optical engineer Paulami Ray flies back to Sydney after her annual break in Kolkata, her gifts now include Attikan Estate coffee from Blue Tokai, tea blends from Karma Kettle and a spread from Manam Chocolate. Even a few years ago, her suitcase would have carried Darjeeling tea from a local store and sandesh from a sweet shop in the Park Circus area, close to her family home.

Singapore-based Ronit Maitra, too, routinely returns with Rampur whisky, Jaisalmer Gin, Third Wave Coffee and Manam Chocolate. “The first time I bought these brands was out of curiosity and wanting to try something different,” he says. “Global brands are everywhere but these feel distinctive. I find myself coming back to them because they are comparable, if not better, than many luxury brands available here.” What drives these choices is not just purchasing power, though that is certainly part of it. It is something more instinctive.

The pride comes not just because of the quality of the products, although global recognition for these brands certainly helps. For example, Manam Chocolate has won multiple awards at the Academy of Chocolate in the UK while Hapusa Gin bagged a gold at the World Gin Awards 2024.

For Priti Sen Arora, co-founder of speciality tea company Karma Kettle, these brands “represent a new India, confident in its heritage, refined in its taste, and global in its outlook”.

“Customers are seeking out small-batch blends, single-origin leaves (or beans), and thoughtful craftsmanship, choosing depth, provenance and narrative over mass-produced familiarity.”

For Bombay Sweet Shop too, gifting is central to their business, forming nearly 30 per cent of overall sales, peaking during festive seasons like Diwali and weddings. Much of this demand comes from the Indian diaspora. “They want to send something that feels rooted in tradition, yet presented in a way that feels current and globally relevant,” says Sameer Seth, founder and CEO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality, which owns Bombay Sweet Shop and restaurants like Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Papa’s and Veronica’s in Mumbai.

The packaging extends the narrative. The strategic design is not cosmetic: it ensures product visibility in international retail environments. “From the square shape to the embossed glass to the typography, our bottles are designed to hold their own on a global shelf,” says Rakshay Dhariwal, founder of Maya Pistola Agavepura, an Indian craft agave spirit brand. Bombay Sweet Shop’s gift boxes have an unmistakable Indian language in colour, mood and warmth.

Gifting has become a form of identity signalling. When someone chooses a single-origin chocolate from India over a mass-produced, globally familiar chocolate, they’re saying they value craft over convenience, story over scale. In choosing these products, consumers are participating in a quiet redefinition of what India exports — and it’s not just another gift, it’s a point of view.