India: India Halal Overview - 2022

This GAIN-FAIRS report provides an overview of halal in India (including certification) for food and agricultural products and for select non-food product categories (cosmetics and pharmaceuticals). India with the number of Muslim citizens totaling 209 million (14.2 percent of the national population) has the third-largest Muslim population in the world. In India, halal is a religious attestation. The government neither mandates halal certification, nor does it provide a unifying regulatory law. The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India’s (FSSAI) standard certification is the requirement for consumer edible products. Halal certification in the form of an internationally recognized certificate is not necessary to obtain trade permission either for exports or imports. There are no specific labeling requirements for imports of halal food products. For all U.S.-origin meat and non-plant based food products shipped to India, halal certification is strictly voluntary.