Regulatory status record
Is the condom banned in India?
Last checked 10 October 2026
Condoms are not banned in India: they are notified medical devices under the Medical Devices Rules 2017, and since 11 Feb 2020 all medical devices are regulated as drugs; a December 2017 advisory only restricted when condom ads may air on television.
- Classification
- No ban or recall found in official records
- Decided by
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through CDSCO
- Reference
- Medical Devices Rules 2017; S.O. 648(E), 11 Feb 2020 (all devices notified as drugs); I&B Ministry advisory, December 2017 (TV advertising)
- Evidence
- Government document
- Latest action
- 11 February 2020
- Last checked
- 10 October 2026
Photo: Free doctor's stethoscope image by rawpixel (cc0). All photo credits.
Medical Devices Rules, 2017 and related notifications
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe organise and explain what the document says. The document above is the authority.
Key facts
- Status
- Legal to make, sell and buy; no ban notification on record
- How it is regulated
- Notified medical device under the Medical Devices Rules 2017
- Since
- 11 Feb 2020: S.O. 648(E) notified all medical devices as drugs
- Advertising
- A December 2017 advisory restricted TV condom ads to the hours of 10 pm to 6 am
Where the claim comes from
The claim comes from the 2017 advisory on when condom ads may be shown on TV, which was read as a ban on condom advertising.
Condoms are legal in India. They are regulated as medical devices. The Medical Devices Rules 2017 set the licensing and quality framework, and a notification of 11 Feb 2020 (S.O. 648(E)) brought all medical devices under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act as drugs. No order bans the sale, purchase or use of condoms.
The confusion comes from advertising. An advisory from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in December 2017 restricted television condom advertisements to the late-night hours of 10 pm to 6 am. It was read as a ban on condom ads. It was an advisory about timing on television, not a ban on the product, and not a ban on all advertising.
Like any regulated device, a condom can fail a quality test. When that happens, CDSCO's monthly alert names the batch and maker. That finding applies to the batch listed, not to condoms in general.
What this means for you
You can buy and use condoms freely
Nothing in the record restricts sale, purchase or possession. They are sold at chemists, shops and online.
The advertising rule is about timing
The December 2017 advisory concerned the time of day condom ads may appear on television. It is an advisory, not a ban on the product and not a ban on advertising in other media.
A failed batch is not a ban
If a condom batch appears in a CDSCO monthly alert, that finding applies to the batch and maker named, not to condoms as a class.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
Are condom ads banned in India?
No. A December 2017 advisory restricted the hours at which condom ads may air on television. It did not ban condom advertising.
Is it illegal to buy or sell condoms in India?
No. Condoms are regulated medical devices and are sold lawfully.
Sources
- Regulator