Fact-check
Is animal testing of cosmetics banned in India?
Last checked 10 October 2026
Yes. G.S.R. 346(E) of 21 May 2014 inserted rule 148-C into the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules ('no person shall use any animal for testing of cosmetics'), G.S.R. 718(E) of 13 Oct 2014 inserted rule 135-B barring the import of cosmetics tested on animals after 12 Nov 2014, and both prohibitions continue as Rules 39(7) and 18(4) of the Cosmetics Rules 2020.
- Classification
- Prohibited (the Cosmetics Rules, 2020 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940)
- Decided by
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Reference
- G.S.R. 346(E), 21 May 2014; G.S.R. 718(E), 13 Oct 2014; Cosmetics Rules 2020, Rules 18(4) and 39(7)
- Latest action
- 15 December 2020
- Last checked
- 10 October 2026
Photo: Shop selling Sindoor (Vermilion) in Pushkar, Rajasthan.jpg by https://www.flickr.com/photos/princessparkle/ (CC BY 2.0). All photo credits.
G.S.R. 346(E), 21 May 2014: rule 148-C inserted, no person shall use any animal for testing of cosmetics
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Key facts
- Testing
- Prohibited since 21 May 2014 (rule 148-C, now Rule 39(7))
- Import
- Cosmetics tested on animals after 12 Nov 2014 may not be imported (rule 135-B, now Rule 18(4))
- First in Asia
- India was the first South Asian country to ban cosmetic animal testing; Israel and the EU preceded it
- Ingredients
- The ban covers the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients for cosmetic purposes; BIS IS 4011 sets the non-animal safety methods
- Enforcement
- An import registration applicant must declare that the product was not animal-tested; no prosecution under the rule is on public record
Where the claim comes from
Campaigns by PETA India and the Humane Society in 2013 and 2014 led to the rules; the question persists because brand 'cruelty-free' claims vary.
India banned animal testing of cosmetics in two steps in 2014. On 21 May 2014 the Health Ministry inserted rule 148-C into the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945 through G.S.R. 346(E): 'No person shall use any animal for testing of cosmetics.' On 13 Oct 2014 it added rule 135-B through G.S.R. 718(E), prohibiting the import of any cosmetic tested on animals on or after 12 Nov 2014. India was the first country in South Asia to do so, after the EU's 2013 ban and Israel's in 2007.
When the Cosmetics Rules 2020 replaced the cosmetics parts of the 1945 rules, both prohibitions were carried forward: Rule 39(7) on testing and Rule 18(4) on imports. The safety evaluation methods a manufacturer may use are those in IS 4011, which the rules reference, and an applicant for an import registration must declare that the product has not been animal-tested.
What the rules do not do is certify anyone. 'Cruelty-free' and 'not tested on animals' logos are private marks from organisations such as PETA and the Leaping Bunny programme; CDSCO neither issues nor checks them. The practical gap is China, where some categories of imported cosmetics were tested on animals until recent reforms; an Indian importer of such a product is responsible for the declaration.
What this means for you
'Cruelty-free' labels are not verified by CDSCO
The law bans testing and importing tested products; it does not certify brands. A 'cruelty-free' logo is a private claim, usually from PETA or Leaping Bunny.
The China exception
Brands that sell in mainland China may still face animal testing there. India's import ban applies to products tested after November 2014, wherever the test happened.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
Can a brand that tests on animals abroad sell in India?
Not a product tested on animals after 12 Nov 2014. The importer must declare this when registering the product with CDSCO.
Official sources and primary records
- G.S.R. 346(E), 21 May 2014: rule 148-C inserted, no person shall use any animal for testing of cosmeticsGazetteMinistry of Health and Family Welfare · 21 May 2014
- G.S.R. 718(E), 13 Oct 2014: rule 135-B inserted, prohibition of import of cosmetics tested on animalsGazetteMinistry of Health and Family Welfare · 13 October 2014
- Cosmetics Rules, 2020, full text (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)GazetteMinistry of Health and Family Welfare · 15 December 2020