At the 20th meeting of the Conference of Parties to CITES held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan last Sunday, the Standing Committee and a majority of member states have decisively supported India’s stance on the matter, confirming that there is no sufficient evidence or basis to take any action against India regarding animal imports.
This outcome has given strong recognition to Vantara’s model of legality, transparency and science-based wildlife conservation, which aligns Vantara with global standards and establishes it as one of the most ethically managed and professionally run wildlife conservation centres in the world.
The CITES Secretariat , a UN-affiliated body responsible for reviewing compliance with global wildlife regulations, conducted a two-day mission to Vantara in September 2025. During its visit, the mission conducted a detailed inspection of the enclosures, veterinary practices, records, rescue operations and welfare protocols of the park.
In its report submitted to the Standing Committee on 30 September 2025, the Secretariat recognised Vantara as a world-class, welfare-oriented institution with modern infrastructure, advanced veterinary care and intensive rescue and rehabilitation systems. It established that Vantara’s work is focused on the welfare and conservation of animals,, and that the facility is never involved in any form of commercial animal trade. The report also noted Vantara’s openness, cooperation and compliance with CITES regulations.
During Sunday’s discussions in the Standing Committee, most parties supported India’s position. The global community has effectively reaffirmed Vantara’s integrity and purpose. This outcome, while establishing a balance, refutes the misleading narratives spread by sections of the public and advocacy sector, and puts on record what has always been evident: that Vantara stands firmly on the right side of animal protection, law enforcement and care.
This broad support from Parties not only provides strong support to India’s CITES implementation framework, but also confirms Vantara’s continued adherence to those standards from day one. In many ways, it is a strong affirmation of Vantara’s work, values and contribution to global conservation efforts.
These international findings are universally and completely consistent with the findings of the Special Investigation Team appointed by the Supreme Court of India to scrutinise all the allegations against Vantara on legal , financial , welfare and CITES criteria. After an intensive investigation, including document audits, consultations with national and international authorities and an on-site inspection of the facility in Jamnagar , the SIT concluded that all the complaints and media reports in this regard were “baseless , baseless and devoid of any factual or legal basis”.
The investigation confirmed that all the animals were legally imported for non-commercial purposes with valid import permits, that no wildlife smuggling, money laundering or financial irregularities were committed, and that the invoicing references were created as part of the regular customs documentation for valuation purposes only.
Furthermore, he also observed that Vantara not only fully complies with the Central Zoo Authority’s own regulations, but also goes two steps further by holding Global Humane Certified™ status, and operates not as a private collection but as an official, internationally landmark rescue, rehabilitation and breeding center.
In both international and national reviews, one conclusion is clear: Vanatara has operated legally, transparently and maintained the highest scientific and ethical standards at every stage of its operations. The record is now clear at a time when rumours can distort public belief. Vanatara continues to demonstrate that it is possible to undertake world-class wildlife rescue and conservation based on compliance, compassion and scientific rigor, and this ambitious work is already underway in India on a large scale.
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