# Indian consumers upgrade homes and cars

> India's affluent consumers drive home upgrades, premium cars, and luxury watches as rural demand surges.
- Title: Indian consumers upgrade homes and cars · The Economic Times
- Summary: India's affluent consumers drive home upgrades, premium cars, and luxury watches as rural demand surges. Indian consumers are upgrading homes, cars, and…
- Keywords: india, consumers, premiumisation, homes, cars, swiss watches, smartphones, rural markets, nirmala sitharaman, economy, Indian, upgrade
- Source: The Economic Times — https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/retail/indias-big-upgrade-wave-rs-1-crore-homes-premium-cars-swiss-watches-pricier-phones-how-brands-are-chasing-affluent-demand-beyond-city-limits/articleshow/134445310.cms
- Author: Writankar Mukherjee and Aanya Thakur
- Published: 2026-09-23T22:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: india, consumers, premiumisation, homes, cars, swiss watches, smartphones, rural markets, nirmala sitharaman, economy
## Upgrading starts here
Indian consumers upgrade homes, travel, cars, and electronics as incomes rise.

> We consider our addressable target to be 300 million people
## Urban growth slows
Over 49% of city homes cost more than ₹1 crore, up from 49% a year earlier.
## Rural demand surges
Rural markets now drive premium product growth, with Jharkhand seeing 6 lakh premium beer cases.

> We went from zero to 6 lakh cases of premium beer
## Travel trends shift
International air travel grew 3.9% in FY26, nearly three times domestic traffic growth.
## Luxury watches surge
Swiss watch imports rose 37% in the first half of 2026.
## Smartphone shift
Smartphones below ₹15,000 now make up 24% of sales, down from 45% in 2024.
## Rural premium growth
Rural consumers now drive premium product demand, with Jharkhand seeing 6 lakh premium beer cases.

> We went from zero to 6 lakh cases of premium beer
## What's next?
Companies must expand premium offerings to rural markets to sustain growth.
## Key takeaway

Indian consumers are upgrading homes, cars, and electronics to premium tiers, with rural markets now driving significant growth.