Laws in India
How India is classified on 45 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal (broad reasons) Abortion is permitted on broad grounds including economic or social reasons.
- Euthanasia
- Passive only Passive euthanasia is legal, but active euthanasia remains illegal in India.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- No specific ban There is no FGM-specific law; only general criminal provisions could apply.
- Surrogacy
- Altruistic only Altruistic surrogacy is legal for eligible Indian couples, while commercial surrogacy is banned.
- Organ Donor Consent
- Opt-in (explicit consent) India requires explicit consent under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 21+ Minimum age to gamble: 21.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
- Online Gambling
- Varies by region Online gambling legality varies by state, with some states prohibiting it and others allowing skill-based games.
Daily Life
- Jaywalking
- Varies by region Jaywalking is covered by varying state and metropolitan obstruction laws.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Partial ban India has a nationwide smoke-free law, but smoking is permitted in designated separate areas in many enclosed public places.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Legal Homeschooling is legal.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned India banned domestic cosmetic animal testing and the import of tested cosmetics in 2014.
- Dog Meat
- Legal / not prohibited Dog meat consumption and sale are legal, with importation restricted to those holding special certificates.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
- Minimum Working Age
- 14–15 Minimum working age: 14.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 18+ The age of consent is 18.
- Sex Work
- Varies by region Prostitution is legal only in private residences, while related activities like brothel management are crimes.
- Pornography
- Restricted Pornography is legal but subject to strict restrictions, including bans on distribution to minors and child pornography.
- Divorce
- Heavily restricted Divorce is legal but requires a long period of separation.
- Non-Binary Recognition
- Recognized India legally recognizes a third gender category for transgender persons.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Limited (step-child / single) Joint adoption is not open to same-sex couples; step-child or single-person adoption is.
- Incest Laws
- Legal between adults
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 21.
Speech & Belief
- Blasphemy Laws
- Criminal offense Blasphemy is a criminal offense in India under Section 295A of the Penal Code.
- Apostasy Laws
- Legal No federal law criminalizes apostasy in India, though social hostility exists.
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Desecration of the Indian flag is illegal under the Flag Code and Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
- Conversion Therapy
- Partial ban India prohibits medical professionals from practicing conversion therapy following a 2022 National Medical Commission directive.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- School Corporal Punishment
- Banned Corporal punishment is prohibited in schools by the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
- Jury Trials
- Not used Jury trials were abolished in criminal law in 1973, with only a specific civil exception for Parsi divorce cases.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Legal (Medical) Cannabis is legal for medical use only; recreational use remains prohibited.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Decriminalized / tolerated Psilocybin possession is illegal but not enforced in practice.
- E-Cigarettes
- Sales banned E-cigarette sales are prohibited.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.