Moving a horse into, out of or around India
A horse's move is planned like freight and looked after like family. Coming into India it's a DGFT licence, an Advance NOC and 30 days of quarantine with six tests. Going out, the first question is whether the country at the other end takes horses from India at all.
The thing to know first
Assuming Europe is open. A horse can't go straight from India to the EU, so the plan starts with the route.
01 · Leaving India
Most horses are free to export, but Europe doesn't take them from India.
We check Which countries take a horse from India, and on what terms, changes with disease status. We check this for your route before anything is booked.
- DGFT's export policy says all horses are free to export except Kathiawari, Marwari and Manipuri breeds, which need an export licence.DGFT, ITC (HS) 2023 Schedule 2 export policy, Chapter 01 (Notification 60/2023), checked 5 Oct 2026
- India isn't on the EU's list of third countries authorised for the entry of equine animals, Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404.EU, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, Annex IV, equine animals (consolidated 14 Dec 2023), checked 5 Oct 2026
- The USA asks for a USDA import permit, a veterinary export health certificate and a port inspection, and the horse then spends 3, 7 or 60 days in import quarantine, depending on the country it comes from.USDA APHIS, importing live equines into the United States, checked 5 Oct 2026
02 · Coming into India
A DGFT licence, an Advance NOC and 30 days of quarantine.
- Under the DAHD SOP for equines, the Advance NOC application goes in at least 7 days before embarkation and AQCS issues it within one working day, with a valid DGFT licence. The airline won't lift the horse without it.DAHD, SOPs for import of live animals into India (OM of 31 Mar 2021), checked 5 Oct 2026
- On arrival the horse spends 30 days at the AQCS quarantine station, tested for dourine, African horse sickness, equine viral arteritis, glanders, equine infectious anaemia and contagious equine metritis, which is tested twice, on day 4 and day 11.DAHD, SOPs for import of live animals into India (OM of 31 Mar 2021), checked 5 Oct 2026
- For live animals other than pets, the import ports are Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi (notification S.O. 1495(E) of 10 June 2014, as the DAHD SOPs cite it).DAHD, SOPs for import of live animals into India (OM of 31 Mar 2021), checked 5 Oct 2026
03 · Within India
A vet's fitness certificate, every time.
We check We check this for your route before anything is booked.
- The Transport of Animals Rules want a qualified vet's certificate with every consignment of horses, mules or donkeys going by rail, road or sea, saying they're fit to travel and free of infectious disease. Without it, the carrier has to refuse them.AWBI, Transport of Animals Rules, 1978, checked 5 Oct 2026
- The same rules keep pregnant and young horses apart from other animals, ask for veterinary first aid with every batch, and put two attendants in each rail wagon carrying more than two horses.AWBI, Transport of Animals Rules, 1978, checked 5 Oct 2026
The longer version.
Most horses are free to leave India under DGFT's policy. Kathiawari, Marwari and Manipuri horses are the exception, and need an export licence. Then it's the importing country's rules. Europe's list of countries it takes horses from doesn't include India, so a horse can't go straight from India to the EU. In the USA a horse spends 3, 7 or 60 days in import quarantine, depending on the country he comes from.
Coming into India, a horse needs a DGFT licence and an Advance NOC from AQCS, then 30 days at the AQCS quarantine station. He's tested for dourine, African horse sickness, equine viral arteritis, glanders, equine infectious anaemia and contagious equine metritis. Horses come in through Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai or Delhi.
Inside India, a horse travelling by road or rail needs a vet's certificate that he's fit to travel, and the carrier has to refuse him without it. The rules also set how many horses share a wagon and how many attendants go with them.
We plan a horse's move with the stable, the vet and the freight agent together, and we'll tell you early if the route you want doesn't exist.
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Where every fact on this page comes from
- DGFT, ITC (HS) 2023 Schedule 2 export policy, Chapter 01 (Notification 60/2023)Checked 5 Oct 2026
- EU, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/404, Annex IV, equine animals (consolidated 14 Dec 2023)Checked 5 Oct 2026
- USDA APHIS, importing live equines into the United StatesChecked 5 Oct 2026
- DAHD, SOPs for import of live animals into India (OM of 31 Mar 2021)Checked 5 Oct 2026
- AWBI, Transport of Animals Rules, 1978Checked 5 Oct 2026