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Is whale meat illegal in India?

Yes. Whale meat is banned in India. All whales are top-protected; dealing in their meat is a crime.

Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972: cetaceans in Schedule I (schedules merged by the 2022 amendment); s.49B bars dealing in meat of scheduled animals and cooking or serving it in any eating-house (NOAA comparability finding, Aug 2025, lists cetaceans in the schedules).

Source: Wild Life (Prot.) Act s.49B

• India is one of 35 countries where whale meat is banned, and 7 more restrict it.
• Its neighbours: banned in 1 of 6 (China).
• In Asia: banned in 4 of 46 countries.

Other countries that ban whale meat

AustriaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaEstoniaFranceGreeceHungaryIrelandItalyLatviaLithuaniaAll 35 on the map ›

What else is banned in India