Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements
India has a pet food standard, a food regulator that does not cover pet food, and an import route with its own permits. Here is what each requires of a dry kibble brand.
- IS 11968:2019 is India’s pet food standard for complete dog and cat food; it sets nutrient minimums, contaminant limits, hygiene rules and label contents.
- Dry food is defined as below 14% moisture, the dry food tables cap moisture at 10%, and rations are calculated at 12%.
- BIS certification is voluntary: no Quality Control Order covers IS 11968 as of November 2026.
- FSSAI does not license pet food; imports need a DAHD sanitary import permit and a veterinary health certificate, and packs follow Legal Metrology rules.
IS 11968:2019 is the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specification for complete dog and cat food, and the main technical reference for dry pet food in India. It sets nutrient minimums, contaminant limits, hygiene rules and label contents, and allows but does not require the BIS mark 12. FSSAI does not license pet food: the food safety law excludes animal feed 45. Imports need a DAHD sanitary import permit and a veterinary health certificate 37, and retail packs follow Legal Metrology rules 8.
01How dry pet food is regulated in India
Most new brands ask which pet food regulations India applies to dry kibble. India has no single pet food act. The answer is spread across a BIS standard, the import rules of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) and the packaging law. For the market context, read the market trends guide; for other markets, see India vs other pet food markets.
Who oversees pet food
The Food Safety and Standards Act defines “food” as excluding any animal feed 4. FSSAI moved in 2019–21 to regulate feed for food-producing animals, but on 7 April 2026 the Delhi High Court struck down that regulation and its directions as beyond the Act 5. Pet food was never part of that move. The bodies that matter are BIS, for the standard, and DAHD, for imports and feed quality control orders.
02IS 11968: the pet food standard
IS 11968:2019 is the first revision of a 1986 dog-only standard and now covers complete food for dogs and cats 12. Dry food has moisture below 14% (cl. 3.7), semi-moist food 10% or more but below 60% (cl. 3.18), and wet food 60% or more (cl. 3.12). The dry food tables cap moisture at 10%, and daily rations are calculated at 12% moisture 2.
Dog food is split into puppies, from 6 weeks to 24 months, and adults. Calcium to phosphorus must sit between 1:1 and 2:1, and crude fibre and acid-insoluble ash are each capped at 10% 2. Cat food sets protein minimums of 30% for kittens and 26% for adults 2.
IS 11968:2019, Table 1, dry matter basis 2. Axis 0–25%. Minimums are floors, not targets.
View data table
| Nutrient (min, % DM) | Puppy | Adult |
|---|---|---|
| Crude protein | 22 | 18 |
| Fat | 8 | 5 |
| Calcium | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| Phosphorus | 0.8 | 0.5 |
The standard also limits contaminants, for example aflatoxin B1 at 10 ppb, ochratoxins at 50 ppb and deoxynivalenol at 2,000 ppb, plus heavy metals and melamine. It requires HACCP with GMP and, for processed food other than canned, heating to at least 90 °C throughout (cl. 5.8.3) 2. It sets no physical-quality limits, so kibble quality tests are an internal specification.
BIS certification and marking
Clause 6.2.2.1 allows, but does not require, BIS certification and the Standard Mark 2. As of November 2026, IS 11968 is not under any BIS Quality Control Order. The 2026 animal feed order, in force from 12 October 2026 with compliance from 1 April 2027, covers only mineral mixtures, feed-grade dicalcium phosphate and salt licks 6. BIS certification for pet food is therefore voluntary.
03Licensing and registration
There is no single pet food licence in India. Treat it as a short list: a legal entity with the usual business and factory approvals, a HACCP system aligned to the standard 2, Legal Metrology registration as a packer or importer 8, and records showing the product meets IS 11968. Our registration and clearance service maps these for your site and product.
| Route | Body and source | What it asks | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product standard | BIS, IS 11968:2019 2 | Nutrients, contaminants, hygiene, label contents | Voluntary; no QCO 6 |
| Import | DAHD, S.O. 3926(E) and SIP 37 | Sanitary import permit, veterinary health certificate, quarantine clearance | In force |
| Packaging | Legal Metrology Rules 2011 8 | Pack declarations; packer or importer registration | In force |
| Food regulator | FSS Act s.3(1)(j) 45 | Nothing: animal feed is excluded | Watch for any appeal |
Table 1. Dry pet food compliance routes in India, as checked on 5 November 2026.
04Import requirements for pet food
To import pet food into India, retail dog and cat food falls under ITC(HS) 2309 10 00, and every 2309 heading needs a DAHD sanitary import permit (SIP) 7. Products with animal-origin material also need a veterinary health certificate in the S.O. 3926(E) format, issued in 2021 and amended in January 2025 3. The certificate gives heat-treatment options such as 90 °C throughout or Fo ≥ 3. Customs then refers the consignment to the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service for clearance at a designated port 7. Confirm current SIP practice with DAHD before the first shipment.
05Labelling and claims compliance
IS 11968 lists the label contents: name, the declaration “complete” or “complementary” pet food with the species, manufacturer, net quantity, batch, ingredients, calculated metabolisable energy, dates and feeding directions 2. Retail packs must also carry the Legal Metrology declarations: maker, packer or importer, country of origin for imports, common name, net quantity, month and year of manufacture, MRP inclusive of taxes, unit sale price and consumer care details 8.
A “complete” claim should rest on the standard’s minimums or an international profile. Our regulatory and claims service and label review test claims before print, and the FEDIAF worked example shows how.
06Compliance checklist for dry pet food brands
Before launch
- Formula meets the IS 11968 minimums for the life stage, and calcium to phosphorus sits between 1:1 and 2:1.
- Moisture and ration basis follow the standard: dry food below 14%, 10% maximum in the tables, rations at 12%.
- Mycotoxin, heavy-metal and melamine results are within Table 3.
- HACCP and GMP documented, with the 90 °C heat step for non-canned food.
- Label carries every IS 11968 field and every Legal Metrology declaration.
- For imports, SIP and veterinary health certificate in hand before shipment.
- Check whether a pet food Quality Control Order has been notified.
For dry kibble in India, IS 11968 is the technical anchor, DAHD controls imports, and Legal Metrology governs the pack. FSSAI has no role today. Design to the standard, test the product and watch BIS and DAHD for a pet food order.
07Questions brands ask
What is IS 11968?
IS 11968:2019 is the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for complete pet food for dogs and cats. It sets nutrient minimums, contaminant limits, hygiene requirements and label contents, and replaced a 1986 dog-only standard.
Is a pet food licence required in India?
There is no single pet food licence. Brands hold the usual business and factory approvals, register under Legal Metrology as packer or importer, and follow IS 11968. FSSAI does not license pet food, because the Food Safety and Standards Act excludes animal feed.
Is BIS certification mandatory for pet food?
No. Clause 6.2.2.1 of IS 11968 allows, but does not require, certification and the Standard Mark, and as of November 2026 no Quality Control Order covers the standard.
What are the import requirements for pet food in India?
Dog and cat food under ITC(HS) 2309 needs a DAHD sanitary import permit. Products with animal-origin material also need a veterinary health certificate in the S.O. 3926(E) format, and the consignment is cleared by animal quarantine at a designated port.
Specialisation: Pet food regulatory compliance, nutritional adequacy assessment, ingredient and product labelling, claims substantiation, and Indian and international pet food standards.
Read the dry pet food guides in order
- Dry pet food market trends in India · where a new brand fits
- Single-screw vs twin-screw extruders · how the machine limits the recipe
- Dry pet food rules in India · you are here
- Kibble quality tests · bulk density, hardness and fines
- Worked case study · one brief from trials to a QC specification
- Dry pet food product development · how we run it for your product
Sources
- Bureau of Indian Standards (2019). IS 11968:2019 Pet food for dogs and cats — Specification (first revision). Standard record. Source ↗
- Bureau of Indian Standards (2019, 31 July). IS 11968:2019 Pet food for dogs and cats — Specification (first revision). New Delhi: BIS. Standard text. Source ↗
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (2021, 22 September). Notification S.O. 3926(E): veterinary health certificate for dog and cat food products containing animal-origin material imported into India. Gazette of India, Extraordinary. Amended by S.O. 320(E), 17 January 2025. Source ↗
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, section 3(1)(j). Source ↗
- Godrej Agrovet Ltd v Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, 2026:DHC:2861-DB (Delhi High Court, 7 April 2026). Reported by LiveLaw. Source ↗
- Bureau of Indian Standards (2026). Upcoming QCOs notified and due for implementation, including the Animal Feeds and Feed Ingredients (Quality Control) Order, 2026. Source ↗
- Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (2026). Import and export procedures; DGFT Notification No. 18 (RE-2013)/2009–2014, 11 June 2013, on sanitary import permits for ITC(HS) 2309. Source ↗
- Ministry of Consumer Affairs (2021, 8 November). Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, as amended in 2021. Press Information Bureau release. Source ↗
Evidence reviewed by the Guires Pet Nutrition Lab scientific team. This article is general information for product developers and is not legal or veterinary advice.
How to cite this article
Choose your referencing style, then copy. Check your university’s, journal’s or regulator’s guide for local variations.
Raghavan, M. (2026, November 5). Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements. Guires Pet Nutrition Lab Insights. https://www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/dry-pet-food-rules-india-fssai-bis-is-11968-import
Raghavan, Meera. “Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements.” Guires Pet Nutrition Lab Insights, 5 Nov. 2026, www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/dry-pet-food-rules-india-fssai-bis-is-11968-import. Accessed [date].
Raghavan, M. (2026) Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements. Available at: https://www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/dry-pet-food-rules-india-fssai-bis-is-11968-import (Accessed: [date accessed]).
Raghavan, Meera. “Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements.” Guires Pet Nutrition Lab Insights. November 5, 2026. https://www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/dry-pet-food-rules-india-fssai-bis-is-11968-import.
Meera Raghavan, ‘Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements’, Guires Pet Nutrition Lab Insights, 5 November 2026, <https://www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/dry-pet-food-rules-india-fssai-bis-is-11968-import>, accessed [date accessed].
Raghavan M. Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements [Internet]. Guires Pet Nutrition Lab Insights; 2026 Nov 5 [cited [date]]. Available from: https://www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/dry-pet-food-rules-india-fssai-bis-is-11968-import
M. Raghavan, “Dry pet food rules in India: FSSAI, BIS IS 11968 and import requirements,” Guires Pet Nutrition Lab Insights, Nov. 5, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/dry-pet-food-rules-india-fssai-bis-is-11968-import
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This article summarises published evidence for product developers. Cite the original sources above for specific findings, and do not reproduce this article as your own work.
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