Be Cruelty-Free Campaign Welcomes Historic Ban on Cosmetics Animal Testing in India - First country in South Asia to end cosmetics cruelty. The Bureau of Indian Standards has today approved the removal of any mention of animal tests from the country's cosmetics standard. The use of modern non-animal alternative tests also becomes mandatory, replacing invasive tests on animals.
India first south asian country to ban cosmetics testing on animals
1. India: First South Asian Country to Ban
Cosmetics Testing on Animals
Be Cruelty-Free Campaign Welcomes Historic Ban on Cosmetics Animal Testing in India - First
country in South Asia to end cosmetics cruelty. The Bureau of Indian Standards has today
approved the removal of any mention of animal tests from the country's cosmetics standard.
The use of modern non-animal alternative tests also becomes mandatory, replacing invasive
tests on animals.
NEW DELHI India has banned animal testing for cosmetics following intense public campaigning
and legislative advocacy by Humane Society International's Be Cruelty-Free India campaign,
including support from Indian Members of Parliament and State Assemblies.
The Bureau of Indian Standards has today approved the removal of any mention of animal tests
from the country's cosmetics standard. The use of modern non-animal alternative tests also
becomes mandatory, replacing invasive tests on animals. This means that any manufacturer
interested in testing new cosmetic ingredients or finished products must first seek approval
2. from India's Central Drug Standards Control Organisation. A manufacturer will be given
approval to test only after complying with the BIS non-animal standards.
Troy Seidle, HSI's director of research and toxicology, said: "India's decision shows the way for
all countries that are still undecided about whether to ban cosmetics animal testing. Those
countries should take action now, follow India's lead and end cruelty for beauty."
Indian Member of Parliament Baijayant 'Jay' Panda, said: "This is a great day for India and for
the thousands of animals who will no longer suffer, yet more work must be done. Our
government must go a step further by banning cosmetics products that are tested on animals
abroad and then imported and sold here in India. Only then will India demonstrate its
commitment to compassion and modern, non-animal research methods and truly be cruelty
free."
HSI celebrates the ban as a major victory for its Be Cruelty-Free campaign, which works to end
animal testing for cosmetics worldwide. The next step for Be Cruelty-Free in India is to achieve
a follow-up ban on selling cosmetics newly tested on animals in other parts of the world. A sales
ban will prevent companies from outsourcing testing to third countries and importing the
animal-tested beauty products back into India for sale.
3. Israel and the 27 countries that make up the European Union have implemented both testing
and sales bans to bring an end to cosmetics animal suffering in their respective jurisdictions,
and HSI is leading the campaign to persuade India to become the next fully cruelty-free
cosmetics zone.
HSI led an intense and high-profile campaign to see the EU sales ban enforced, and last year
launched its global Be Cruelty-Free campaign. Be Cruelty-Free is working to achieve similar
victories in East Asia, Canada, South America, Russia, Oceania and beyond. The campaign is
spearheaded in the United States by The Humane Society of the United States.
Notes:
The term "cruelty-free cosmetics" refers to cosmetics products, formulations and ingredients
that have not been tested on animals after a specified date because on that date they were
already considered safe to use for cosmetic purposes. This does not mean the ingredients,
formulations or products were not tested on animals in the past.
Humane Society International and its partner organisations together constitute one of the
world's largest animal protection organisations. For more than 20 years, HSI has been working
for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on
programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide - on the Web at
hsi.org/becrueltyfree.
In India, Be Cruelty-Free has partnered with Federation of Indian Animal Protection
Organisations, C.P.R.Environmental Education Centre and Blue Cross of India
