Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Gay sex ruling to free India's 'pink economy'

From LGBT nightclubs to "gaycations" and more, a court ruling legalising homosexuality in India is set to unlock one of the world's largest "pink economies", experts say.

The supreme court's historic decision last week to scrap a colonial-era ban on gay sex sparked joy as activists held rainbow-coloured celebrations across the country.


Now the community can expect to see businesses lining up to offer a range of tailored products, in fashion, health and other industries, providing a massive boost to Asia's third-biggest economy.

"It can bring billions of dollars to the Indian economy if they can activate the spending of gay people in India," Keshav Suri, a hotelier and petitioner in the landmark case, told AFP.

"There is business to be done, real estate to be bought and sold, holidays and all the services that go with that.

"The value of the pink economy and the social aspects of the LGBT community are too large now for us to ignore," added Suri, executive director of the Lalit hotel group.

India is home to more than 55 million LGBT adults, according to Out Now Consulting, a marketing agency that helps businesses target gay and lesbian consumers.

Their nominal income is around $113 billion annually, the firm estimates. LGBT couples have fewer children than other groups and higher-than-average salaries, meaning plenty of disposable cash.

"They represent one of the world's largest LGBT markets," Ian Johnson, the founder of the Australia-based Out Now Consulting, told AFP.

He predicts that drinks brands and travel companies will be the first to target the LGBT community following the scrapping of Section 377, which was introduced 157 years ago.

LGBT bars, clubs and cafes will provide new employment and boost sales in the food and alcohol industries while people will be able to attend holidays designed specifically for the gay market without fear of legal reprisal.

Nakshatra Bagwe, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, runs The BackPack Travels, a company specialising in organising trips for LGBT tourists.

He says it has been profitable since it was set up in October 2016 but he expects to see an increase in revenue following the law change.

"With legality and freedom on our side businesses will invest in the community and opportunities will increase in the coming years," he told AFP.

- Legal and free -

Inder Vhatwar, another businessman based in India's financial capital, also hopes to profit from the ruling by judges who said members of the gay community deserve an apology for the treatment they have suffered.

Shortly after gay sex was briefly decriminalised before by the Delhi High Court in 2009, Vhatwar opened a store called D'Kloset in Mumbai's trendy neighbourhood of Bandra, where several Bollywood stars live.

He sold glitzy clothes, handbags and party masks but after the ban was reinstated in 2013 Vhatwar was evicted by his landlord.

"I faced a lot of challenges due to Section 377 and had to shut down but with this recent judgement I am planning to start the store again," the 37-year-old told AFP.

Gay sex has long been a taboo subject for many in socially conservative India, with religious groups in particular fiercely opposing any liberalisation of sexual morality.

The World Bank said in a 2014 report that homophobic attitudes and a reluctance to hire LGBT people hampered India's economic growth by up to 1.7 per cent annually.

Research shows that LGBT-friendly policies in the workplace, such as equality training and non-discriminatory hiring practices, can boost profitability.

Activists hope the court ruling will help shift attitudes and boost the LGBT community's economic engagement as the commercial benefits are realised.

"The LGBT community is definitely an untapped market. The business potential is huge and set to grow," Parmesh Shahani, who heads up the cultural arm of India's Godrej conglomerate, told AFP.

"The verdict will catalyse change and more companies will invest in products and services catering to the community. I hope the judgment creates more jobs and companies vie for LGBTQ talent," he added.

More For You

British national survives Ahmedabad Air India crash

Rescue and relief work underway following the Air India plane crash, in Ahmedabad. (PTI Photo)

British national survives Ahmedabad Air India crash

ONE survivor walked away from the Air India aircraft that crashed at Ahmedabad airport earlier this morning (12), according to the latest reports from India.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, a UK national, was in seat 11A of the Air India Flight 171 bound for London Gatwick when it crashed shortly after take off from Ahmedabad with 242 people on board.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India crash: Former Gujarat chief minister Rupani was on aircraft

FILE PHOTO: Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. (PTI Photo)

Air India crash: Former Gujarat chief minister Rupani was on aircraft

FORMER Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was believed to be on board the London-bound Air India plane that crashed near the Ahmedabad airport soon after take-off on Thursday (12), a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

"Vijay Rupani was going to London by the Air India flight," senior BJP leader Bhupendrasinh Chudasama told reporters in Ahmedabad. "I am going to the city civil hospital to inquire about him," he added.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India crash: Police collect 204 dead bodies

Police said they had collected 204 dead bodies (PTI photo)

Air India crash: Police collect 204 dead bodies

  • All 242 passengers on board believed to have been killed in the Air India crash AI-171 in Ahmedabad
  • Air India passenger hotline numbers - 1800 5691 444 and for foreign nationals +91 8062779200
  • There were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and a Canadian on board the flight bound for London Gatwick
  • Contact @HCI_London on the emergency number 07768765035 with regard to emergency visa assistance to travel to India if needed

POLICE in Ahmedabad said they had collected 204 dead bodies after the London-bound Air India aircraft with 242 people on board crashed into residential buildings after takeoff on Thursday (12).

“We have found 204 bodies,” city police commissioner GS Malik said, adding that 41 injured people were “under treatment”.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer says scenes of Air India plane crash 'devastating'

Keir Starmer. (Photo by JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer says scenes of Air India plane crash 'devastating'

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Thursday (12) expressed his anguish following a plane crash involving a London-bound Air India flight with 53 British nationals among 242 on board, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

"The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” Starmer said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Major air crashes in India

FILE PHOTO: Officials inspect the wreckage of an Air India Express jet at Calicut International Airport in Karipur, Kerala, on August 8, 2020. (Photo by ARUNCHANDRA BOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Major air crashes in India

INDIA has witnessed several major air disasters over the decades, reflecting both the challenges of aviation safety and the complexities of its growing air traffic. While many flights operate safely each day, a few tragic incidents have left lasting impacts on the nation’s aviation history. Below is a list of some of the most significant plane crashes that have occurred in India.

1. Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision (Nov 12, 1996)
A Saudi Boeing 747 and a Kazakh IL-76 cargo plane collided mid-air near Delhi due to communication failures. All 349 people on both aircraft died, making it the deadliest air disaster in Indian airspace.

Keep ReadingShow less