It is spice that added variety to the cuisine of India. Indian cuisine is as diversified as the people who came, stayed and became assimilated in the national mainstream or in the earliest period of existence, laid the foundations of a civilization.

The use of spice also determines the class of the dish whether it is one in which two or three of the commoner spices are used as in poorer households or the rich range of the more exotic spices that blend in to the products of more affluent cuisines.

The diverse climatic conditions in India have led to the growth of a wide range of spices and condiments. For example, pepper & cardamom are grown in the southern regions, chillies, coriander, cumin, fennel are grown in the western and south central regions while saffron is grown in the northern mountains. Thus, the variety offered is large. Now with the recent technological advancements, cultivation of quality spices is ever on the increase with the result that they have become synonymous with "India" brand. Cumin seeds from Unjha, Gujarat are known all over the world for their distinct aroma, Chillies from the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh are known for their red colour and heat.