Indian cuisine has struggled not because of lack of appeal, but because of lack of predictability.
For many Indians living abroad, food is not just food; This is a memory. It is the taste of childhood summers, the sweetness of home-celebrated festivals, the aroma of spices that once filled the family kitchen. When people move across borders, they take those tastes with them. With one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world, Indian cuisine has traveled far.
And yet, despite this huge global Indian presence and the mainstream’s growing curiosity for Indian flavours, the cuisine has not expanded internationally in the same way as many other global cuisines. The demand has always been there. Naan, dal makhani, rasgulla and samosa are widely recognized and increasingly eaten across all continents. But it takes more than popularity on a global scale.
Over time, one truth became clear: Indian cuisine wasn’t struggling because of a lack of appeal, it was struggling because of a lack of predictability.
informality is important
In many cases, traditional manufacturing formats were never designed for global supply chains. Variability in raw materials affected the taste. The processes varied from batch to batch. Purity and quality standards were not always standardized to meet international expectations. Without consistent input and scalable systems, even the most beloved flavors cannot travel reliably across oceans.
The foundation of sustainability lies in the field. If the crop varies, the end product also inevitably varies. For recipes that depend on subtle flavor balance and authentic textures, uniformity at the farm level becomes critical.
This realization shaped long-term thinking. Growing Indian food globally requires more than increasing production capacity; This required rebuilding the series from the ground up. Farmer integration became the center of this effort. Structured sourcing, close engagement with growers and alignment between farming practices and processing standards helped reduce variability at its source.
Farmer inclusion is not just about rural development, it is about structural sustainability. No processing facility, no matter how advanced, can compensate for inconsistencies in raw materials. If we aim for global relevance without paying attention to agricultural fundamentals, the system will remain fragile.
Change in manufacturing discipline
The next change was in manufacturing discipline. Indian cuisine is deeply rooted in tradition, but requires defined processes, controlled batches and rigorous quality checks to maintain authenticity on a large scale. Technology and automation, when implemented thoughtfully, do not undermine heritage; They protect it. They ensure that the product opened in Toronto or Melbourne tastes the same as the one in Chandigarh.
The infrastructure then becomes an enabler of trust. Modern facilities, temperature-controlled logistics and compliance-driven quality frameworks allow products to travel long distances without compromising purity or safety. Significant investments have been directed towards strengthening this backbone, upgrading processing infrastructure, creating streamlined production flows and incorporating detailed standard operating procedures at every stage of manufacturing. Scale without systems creates risks; Scale backed by disciplined processes builds credibility. International markets demand consistency not just once in a while, but every time, and that level of assurance is built into the infrastructure as well as the intent.
As Indian cuisine gains global acceptance, the conversation should move from mere nostalgia to system-building. Popularity opens doors; Stability keeps it open.
The journey from farm to overseas market is ultimately about strengthening roots before expanding reach. When farmers are integrated, when processes are disciplined, and when the infrastructure supports scale, Indian cuisine can grow sustainably and confidently not only widely but across the world.
The author is CEO and Director of Amar Pure Gold
Published on February 21, 2026
