Halal Certification in India for Food and Export Businesses
Halal certification confirms that a product, ingredient or facility meets Islamic dietary requirements. In India it is issued by private certification bodies, not by a government department. For meat and meat products exported to 35 notified countries, DGFT now requires certification under the India Conformity Assessment Scheme (i-CAS) Halal. We prepare your documents, pick the right route and handle the export registrations around it.
What it is
Halal means “permissible” under Islamic law. A halal certificate is a third-party statement that your product, its ingredients and the way it is made, stored and packed meet halal requirements. Buyers in many Muslim-majority markets, and many importers, ask for it before they place an order.
There is no government “halal licence” in India. Certificates are issued by private certification bodies. The one area the government regulates is the export of meat and meat products: under DGFT Notification No. 03/2023 of 6 April 2023, such goods can be exported as “halal certified” only if they come from a facility certified under i-CAS Halal. The Quality Council of India owns the scheme, NABCB accredits the certification bodies and APEDA monitors it.
Who it applies to
Meat and meat product exporters
If you export meat or meat products as halal to any of the 35 countries notified by DGFT, i-CAS Halal certification of your facility is mandatory.
Processed food and ingredient makers
Picture a Faridabad spice maker whose new buyer in Dubai asks for a halal certificate. No Indian law demands it. The buyer does, and the certificate must come from a body that buyer accepts.
Cosmetics, pharma and other products
Personal care, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical exporters sometimes face the same buyer demand. For these, certification stays voluntary in India and the choice of body depends on the destination.
Why it matters
Your consignment can clear
For meat exports to notified countries, a shipment marked halal without i-CAS certification breaks the DGFT export policy condition.
Buyers accept your product
Many importers will not list a product without a halal certificate from a body their regulator recognises. Without it, the order does not happen.
Your process gets documented
You end up with written records of suppliers, ingredients, cleaning and segregation. The same file helps at FSSAI inspections and buyer audits.
Voluntary vs mandatory halal certification
| Situation | Is certification required by Indian law? | Who certifies |
|---|---|---|
| Meat and meat products exported as halal to the 35 notified countries | Yes, i-CAS Halal under DGFT policy condition | NABCB-accredited i-CAS Halal bodies |
| Other food, cosmetics or pharma exports | No, it is a buyer or importing-country requirement | A body recognised by the importing country |
| Sale within India | No | Private bodies, if the brand chooses |
Here is the catch: a halal certificate never replaces your FSSAI licence. A food business still needs FSSAI registration or a licence, and exporters also need an Import Export Code. Uttar Pradesh banned the domestic sale of halal-certified products on 18 November 2023, with exports exempted, so a Noida brand selling locally should take advice before printing the logo.
Documents required
About the business
- Company, LLP or firm registration and PAN
- FSSAI licence or registration
- Import Export Code and APEDA registration for exporters
- Factory address and layout plan
About the products
- List of products to be certified
- Full ingredient and additive list with supplier names
- Halal certificates or declarations from ingredient suppliers
- Process flow chart and label artwork
About the system
- Name of the authorised officer for halal control
- Cleaning, storage and segregation procedures
- For meat: slaughter staff details and training records
- Existing food safety certificates, if any
How it works
Identify the market and the right body
Destination comes first. For meat to a notified country, only an i-CAS Halal body will do. For anything else, we shortlist bodies the importing country recognises, because a certificate the buyer rejects is wasted money.
Put the base registrations in place
We check or obtain your FSSAI licence, IEC and APEDA registration. Meat units log in to the i-CAS portal with their APEDA credentials.
Prepare the document file
We compile ingredient lists, supplier declarations, process flows and procedures, and file the application with the certification body.
Face the audit and close gaps
The certification body’s auditors visit the plant and check records against practice. In practice, supplier declarations are the first thing we tighten. We help you close each one; the audit itself is the body’s job, not ours.
Keep the certificate alive
Under i-CAS Halal, a certificate runs three years with surveillance audits in years one and two. We track those dates and keep the file ready.
Timelines
i-CAS Halal began in 2023
Notification No. 03/2023 of 6 April 2023 gave six months for existing bodies to get NABCB accreditation and for export units to register on the APEDA portal.
Country list widened in 2026
Notification No. 34/2024-25 of 1 October 2024 named 15 countries. Notification No. 59/2025-26 of 9 February 2026 added 20 more, effective two weeks later. Egypt got six months, later extended by DGFT. An NCR meat unit shipping there had more time, not an exemption.
Certificate cycle
Three-year validity under i-CAS Halal, with surveillance audits in the first and second years and a recertification audit before expiry.
What happens if you skip it
Export policy breach
Exporting meat as “halal certified” to a notified country without i-CAS certification breaks the DGFT policy condition. That is a breach of export policy, which DGFT enforces under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.
Rejected orders
Buyers in markets that expect halal will reject a product whose certificate comes from a body their regulator does not recognise.
Label trouble at home
A halal logo without a valid certificate behind it is a false claim on your label, and every claim you print must be true.
Frequently asked questions
Is halal certification mandatory in India?
No, not for products sold within India. There is no government halal licence. It is mandatory only for meat and meat products exported as halal to the 35 countries notified by DGFT, where the facility must be certified under i-CAS Halal. For other exports it is a buyer or importing-country requirement. We help you work out which case is yours before you spend on an audit.
Who issues halal certificates in India?
Private certification bodies issue them. For meat exports under i-CAS Halal, the body must be accredited by NABCB to ISO/IEC 17065 and approved under the scheme, which the Quality Council of India owns. For other products, you choose a body that your importing country recognises. We shortlist suitable bodies for your market so the certificate is accepted at the other end.
What is i-CAS Halal?
i-CAS Halal is the India Conformity Assessment Scheme for halal meat and meat products meant for export. DGFT Notification No. 03/2023 of 6 April 2023 made it the required route for exporting such goods as halal certified. NABCB accredits the bodies and APEDA monitors the scheme. Meat units register on the i-CAS portal using APEDA credentials, which we help set up.
Which countries require i-CAS Halal for meat exports?
DGFT Notification No. 34/2024-25 of 1 October 2024 named 15 countries, and Notification No. 59/2025-26 of 9 February 2026 added 20 more, taking the total to 35. The additions include Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the Maldives. Egypt received a longer transition, which DGFT later extended. We check the current list against your buyer’s country before each new market.
How long is a halal certificate valid?
Under i-CAS Halal a certificate is valid for three years. Surveillance audits take place in the first and second years, and a recertification audit is held before expiry. Bodies outside the scheme set their own validity, so check the certificate’s date. We track your surveillance and renewal dates so the certificate never lapses mid-shipment.
Does a halal certificate replace the FSSAI licence?
No. A halal certificate is a private certification, while FSSAI registration or a licence is a legal requirement for every food business under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Food importers need a central licence. Exporters also need an Import Export Code and, for scheduled products, APEDA registration. We line up all of these together so nothing is missing.
What does halal certification cost?
There is no government fee for halal certification itself. The certification body charges its own application, audit and certificate fees, which vary by body, number of products and audit days. Related government fees are fixed, such as ₹500 for an IEC and ₹5,900 for APEDA registration. We quote our fee and the expected body fees before you commit.
Can a non-Muslim owned business get halal certification?
Yes. Certification depends on the product, ingredients and process, not on the owner’s religion. Under i-CAS Halal the unit must appoint a competent authorised officer, in general a Muslim, to oversee halal control, and slaughter must be performed by a practising Muslim. We help you set up the role correctly.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Halal certification has no government fee; the certification body charges its own fees. Related government fees: IEC ₹500 on the DGFT portal, APEDA registration ₹5,900 (₹5,000 plus GST), and FSSAI central licence ₹7,500 a year.
Ready to begin?
Tell us your product and destination market, and we will map the halal certification route and every registration it needs.