India to Ban Animal Testing on Imported Cosmetics

The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has introduced a draft notification to ban the import of cosmetics tested on animals abroad. After implementation of this new legislation India will become Asia’s first cruelty-free country.

According to reliable information from Alokparna Sengupta, HSI/India’s Be Cruelty-Free campaign manager who has been working closely with competent authorities has outlined that in the forthcoming “Drugs and Cosmetics (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2014” a new rule is to be inserted after existing rule 135-A, namely “Import of cosmetics tested on animals is prohibited. – No cosmetic tested on animals shall be imported.”

The latest draft import ban marks another milestone in India’s high profile Be Cruelty Free campaign. “We are delighted to see many months of HSI/India campaigning pay off with introduction of this import ban proposal, and we thank the Health Ministry for acting so swiftly on behalf of animals” said Ms. Sengupta. Earlier this year, a ban on domestic animal testing of cosmetics was added to the “Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945” (See Chemlinked cosmetic news on 24 Jan 2014).

Once the draft import ban is officially implemented, it will dispel ethical concerns raised over imported cosmetics and finally see a cosmetic market without animal tested products in India. Just as Ms. Sengupta told Chemlinked “With a ban on cosmetics animal testing already in place in India, it is now time to ensure that cosmetics tested with cruelty in other countries cannot be imported in India’s shops.”