CITES reverses decision, withdraws endangered species trade suspension on India
Guwahati: The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) reversed its earlier position, withdrawing a recommendation to suspend the trade of endangered species to India. The proposed suspension failed to secure the necessary support from Parties attending the current CITES meeting in Uzbekistan, Mongabay reported.
The initial recommendation, made earlier this month, called on India to stop importing Appendix I species (those threatened with extinction) until it corrected observed inconsistencies in its due diligence mechanisms. This followed a CITES site visit in September. The Secretariat had expressed concern that lax procedures could allow animals illegally caught in the wild to be imported under the guise of being captive-bred.
The situation involves Vantara, a private zoo and rescue and rehabilitation center established by Anant Ambani of Reliance Industries, which has acquired more than 40,000 imported animals, including endangered species like chimpanzees, cheetahs, and orangutans.
The Secretariat undertook a visit to India following requests from several Party members who had voiced concerns regarding the volume and origin of animal transfers to Vantara.
Nevertheless, during the discussion of this matter at the CITES meeting on November 23, the recommendation for a temporary trade suspension to India was ultimately withdrawn due to the reluctance of most Parties in the Standing Committee to offer their support.
Earlier, India urged the Secretariat of CITES for the immediate withdrawal of a compliance report that New Delhi characterizes as procedurally flawed, incomplete, and unfair.
In a letter addressed to the CITES Secretary-General ahead of the 79th Standing Committee Meeting (SC79), Sushil Kumar Awasthi, Head of the CITES Management Authority of India, criticized the handling of agenda item SC79 Doc. 6.3.4.
India contends that the Secretariat failed to follow established due process and is recommending restrictive measures based on unverified data.
Allegations of Procedural Violations
The core of India’s objection rests on the Secretariat’s alleged failure to adhere to Resolution Conf. 14.3 (Rev. CoP19), which governs compliance procedures. The resolution mandates a cooperative, transparent process involving early engagement and full consultation with the member Party.
According to the letter, the CITES Secretariat sent the draft mission report to Indian authorities via email on October 28-29, 2025—just one day before it was officially published. India was reportedly told that because the report represented the Secretariat's views, India's input "may not be taken on board" before publication.
"This procedural omission... has materially affected the record," Awasthi wrote, noting that significant clarifications submitted by India were excluded, rendering the document "incomplete and non-final."
A Breach of Mandate
India argues that the Secretariat’s actions violate the specific mandate given by the Standing Committee at previous meetings (SC77 and SC78). The Committee had requested the Secretariat to "keep close communication and strengthen cooperation with India" regarding technical assessments of how live animal specimens are acquired and imported.
By failing to provide India a reasonable timeline to verify facts, the letter states, the Secretariat produced a report that does not fulfill the spirit of the Standing Committee’s instructions.
"No Evidence of Non-Compliance"
Despite the procedural dispute, India highlighted that the findings within the disputed document (SC79 Doc. 6.3.4) actually vindicate the country’s enforcement efforts.
India’s Counter-Submission
In response to the Secretariat's report, India has submitted its own information document (SC79-Inf-4.0: "India’s Actions and Commitments"). This document details the country's legislative progress, enforcement coordination, and scientific oversight, aimed at providing the Standing Committee with a comprehensive view of India's compliance framework.
India requested that the Standing Committee withdraw the agenda item entirely.
"In light of the absence of any established compliance matter and the incomplete factual basis of the report, India further requests that the Standing Committee disregard the recommendations contained in SC79 Doc. 6.3.4," the letter stated.