A petition signed by over 70,000 people was submitted to the ministry of health and family welfare Wednesday, urging an import ban on cosmetics tested on animals abroad.
"We are thrilled to have collected so many signatures. This level of support demonstrates how much consumers from across India and beyond want to end cruelty and shop compassionately, knowing that no animal has suffered for their beauty products," said Alokparna Sengupta, Humane Society International (HSI) India's Be Cruelty-Free campaign manager.
The ministry and the Drug Controller General have already banned cosmetics' animal testing in Indian laboratories.
"Putting a ban on import would position India ahead of other BRICS nations, and indeed most western nations, in the area of ethical consumerism," added Sengupta.
