New Delhi, March 31
Anything and almost everything that affects the common man’s day-to-day existence will now be available under foreign brands in the country.

For the consumer though, it is a bonanza as the government today removed quantitative restrictions (QRs) from all 715 items that were hitherto under the special import licence (SIL) regime.

It could well be a battle royal between our own tandoori chicken and its foreign counterparts as chicken, mutton, lamb, ham, milk, butter, cream, cheese, tea, coffee, clove, wheat, rice, cereals, vegetables and fruits can now be imported limitlessly from abroad. And children and tiny tots may toy around imported models.

Tipplers and wine connoisseurs could not have asked for more. Wine, beer, vodka, whisky and rum, of all blends can now be shopped from overseas markets. The all elusive French wine and Russian vodka may soon be a reality for many.

The time may not be too far away when Indian roads may be zoomed over by snazzy cars of foreign make.

The neighbourhood stores and upmarket shopping malls, have to enhance their shelf spaces to accommodate goods that may find their way to India from anywhere in the world.

Apart from food items, wine and cars the freed list includes stationery items, greeting cards, handkerchiefs, pens, ink and fabrics.

Future choice on a winter day would be between the woollen garments from Ludhiana or woven fabrics from London, imported carpets could replace the ones bought from Kashmir, the desi “andar ki baat” undergarments could be from any part of the world and dusting could be more fun with foreign dusters.

The fashion savvy could now have a choice between selecting the desi “jootis” and the foreign leather footwear. Gifting an imported diamond along with a few scribbles by a Cartier pen on an original American greeting card might be considered hep and happening on the St. Valentine’s Day.

For housewives, cooking could be a different experience with “phoren” pressure cookers, roasters and ovens.

Observers, however, say it may take some time before foreign mass consumption goods catch the fancy of the Indian consumer.

This was especially true of edible items, as Indian consumers were generally finicky and unless the commodity conformed to a particular blend of taste, it might not impress many, an expert said.