After many years of negotiations, India is now open to U.S. pork and pork products. This change is now reflected in the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) Export Library for India.

In November 2015, India released a revised universal veterinary health certificate for import of pork and pork products detailing requirements for processing facilities, veterinary drug residues and animal disease restrictions. According to the United States Trade Representative 2021 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, access to the Indian market for U.S. pork and pork products was restricted because India's Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DAHDF) and the USDA did not have a bilaterally agreed upon export certificate or protocol for importing U.S. pork and pork products into India.

After the twelfth ministerial-level meeting of the India-United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF) in New Delhi on Nov. 23, Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal and U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai announced that India had "agreed to work to finalize the mutually agreed export certificate to allow the importation of U.S. pork and pork products."

The National Pork Producers Council has been calling on India to lift its de facto ban on U.S. pork and accept the veterinary export certificate proposed earlier by USDA. With virtually all pork production in India being backyard, NPPC pointed out there is no significant pork industry in India pushing back against imports. 

Exporters interested in shipping to India should review the production, handling and sanitary requirements now outlined in the Documentation Requirements section of the FSIS Export Library. Questions can be addressed to U.S. Meat Export Federation Assistant Vice President of Export Services Travis Arp.