Nine Indian populations of *Drosophila melanogaster* collected along a 20°N latitude range showed significant clinal variation at the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) locus, with increasing frequency of the Adh^F allele with latitude (0.036 ± 0.004 per degree) and an FST of 0.25. Parallel latitudinal genetic divergence was observed in ethanol and acetic-acid tolerance in adult individuals, with ethanol tolerance ranging from 10–15% and acetic-acid tolerance from 3.7–13.2%. Northern populations showed higher ethanol tolerance than southern ones, while southern populations had lower acetic-acid tolerance. These patterns suggest divergence in resource utilization between northern and southern populations. The parallel genetic divergence at the Adh locus and for ethanol and acetic-acid tolerance in Indian *D. melanogaster* populations is explained by spatially varying balancing natural selection along the north-south axis of the Indian subcontinent. The study highlights the role of natural selection in maintaining clinal allozymic variation across different continental populations. The findings support the hypothesis that parallel or complementary latitudinal clines provide evidence of natural selection maintaining such variation. The results also indicate that *D. melanogaster* populations from India exhibit significant genetic divergence in their ability to utilize ethanol and acetic acid, with parallel patterns of tolerance observed in tropical and subtropical populations. These traits have adaptive significance and are maintained by natural selection mechanisms. The study underscores the importance of environmental gradients in shaping genetic variation and adaptation in *D. melanogaster* populations.Nine Indian populations of *Drosophila melanogaster* collected along a 20°N latitude range showed significant clinal variation at the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) locus, with increasing frequency of the Adh^F allele with latitude (0.036 ± 0.004 per degree) and an FST of 0.25. Parallel latitudinal genetic divergence was observed in ethanol and acetic-acid tolerance in adult individuals, with ethanol tolerance ranging from 10–15% and acetic-acid tolerance from 3.7–13.2%. Northern populations showed higher ethanol tolerance than southern ones, while southern populations had lower acetic-acid tolerance. These patterns suggest divergence in resource utilization between northern and southern populations. The parallel genetic divergence at the Adh locus and for ethanol and acetic-acid tolerance in Indian *D. melanogaster* populations is explained by spatially varying balancing natural selection along the north-south axis of the Indian subcontinent. The study highlights the role of natural selection in maintaining clinal allozymic variation across different continental populations. The findings support the hypothesis that parallel or complementary latitudinal clines provide evidence of natural selection maintaining such variation. The results also indicate that *D. melanogaster* populations from India exhibit significant genetic divergence in their ability to utilize ethanol and acetic acid, with parallel patterns of tolerance observed in tropical and subtropical populations. These traits have adaptive significance and are maintained by natural selection mechanisms. The study underscores the importance of environmental gradients in shaping genetic variation and adaptation in *D. melanogaster* populations.