印度卫生税形势诊断

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the health taxes landscape in India. Core Insights - The consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in India leads to significant public health challenges, with 1.6 million deaths and 49.3 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually. These products are major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, responsible for 64.9 percent of all deaths in India as of 2019 [13] - Health taxes have been effective globally in reducing consumption and generating revenue while addressing market failures from negative externalities and internalities. India's current indirect tax system poses challenges due to its complexity and inconsistencies [13] - Reforming health taxes requires addressing inconsistencies, improving tax compliance, and introducing new tax structures based on the relative harm of each product [13] Summary by Sections Introduction - The report highlights the significant health and economic burdens associated with the consumption of demerit products in India, emphasizing the need for effective health taxes to mitigate these issues [22][27] Why Health Taxes Matter - Health taxes are justified due to significant market failures associated with demerit products, which lead to detrimental consumption patterns and economic burdens on society [28] - Taxation can correct negative externalities and internalities, enhancing welfare by reducing consumption to socially efficient levels [29][30] Consumption of Unhealthy Products in India - India is the second-largest consumer of tobacco globally, with approximately 267 million tobacco users, accounting for about 19 percent of the world's adult tobacco users [45] - The prevalence of alcohol consumption among adults in India was estimated at 17.1 percent in 2019, with significant gender differences [59] Economic Burden Associated with Unhealthy Products - The economic burden from tobacco-related costs is estimated at US$36.2 billion annually, while alcohol-related costs are around US$31.4 billion [13] Health Taxes in India - The current indirect tax system in India includes a national-level Goods and Services Tax (GST) on tobacco and SSBs, as well as state-level excise duties and VAT on alcohol, which presents challenges due to complexity and inconsistencies [13] - The report suggests increasing specific excise taxes, simplifying the tax structure, and conducting detailed state-level analyses of alcohol taxation [13] Challenges and Opportunities - The report identifies challenges in reforming health taxes in India, including knowledge gaps and the need for policy engagement priorities [6][27]