The Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) has revised its ‘Wine and Dine’ policy, allowing liquor consumption across a wider range of designated areas, including hotel terraces, lawns and poolside zones, according to ANI.
Officials said the move is aimed at strengthening GIFT City’s standing as a global financial and information technology hub, while making the business district more welcoming for domestic and international visitors as well as authorised professionals working within the city.
Easier permits for visitors, conventions
Under the updated policy, liquor consumption will be permitted only within the notified premises in GIFT City. Officials told ANI that the changes are designed to support a global business ecosystem and streamline operations for international investors, technical experts, and national and multinational companies operating in the area.
Domestic and foreign visitors arriving on official business will now be able to obtain temporary permits more easily. The revised rules also empower the managing director of GIFT City to issue group permits for large conventions and major business events, simplifying approvals for high-profile gatherings.
GIFT City, spread across 880 acres along the Sabarmati River, is India’s first operational International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). Located between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the smart city has been positioned as a global financial and IT destination, according to an earlier HT report.
Gujarat prohibition laws remain unchanged
Despite the expanded ‘Wine and Dine’ policy, the Gujarat government has made it clear that the state’s long-standing prohibition laws remain firmly in place.
Under the Gujarat Prohibition (Amended) Act, 2017, the selling, buying, transporting and possession of liquor is a punishable offence, carrying a prison term that may extend up to 10 years, with a mandatory minimum of seven years, along with a fine, according to the Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell.
Officials stressed that the amendments apply only within the limits of GIFT City and do not dilute the broader prohibition framework in Gujarat. As per the notification cited by ANI, “any external person”, meaning individuals who are not residents of Gujarat or are foreign nationals, may consume liquor only in designated areas of GIFT City.