I once read how strong spices were one of the few techniques available to keep rotting meat edible for a little longer, before the advent of refrigeration. Otherwise, it was salting, drying, etc. to keep meat edible.
India still has the largest population of vegetarians. Today, even in big cities, you will have trouble finding a house on rent if you tell land lord that you are a non vegetarian. Similarly alcohol has a very poor history in India since it was ruled by Muslims for several centuries before the British Raj. Salting and drying are indeed used, in as much as pickles involve it. But meat doesn't come onto picture at all. Spices themselves are dried and don't go bad. Extremely spicy food doesn't too. Warmer climate + fertile gangatic planes also lend themselves to widespread farming.
In contrast, Europe had to import spices and thus the common people didn't have access to spices. Cold weather also pushes people towards hunting by making farming difficult. Obvious outcome is potato, making beer from potato, eating meat, drying meat (steaks).
