Guwahati: Vantara, the animal rescue and rehabilitation facility managed by the Reliance Group, has informed the Supreme Court that it will voluntarily stop applying for animal imports for 12 months, disclosing the decision in an application filed on August 19 in the case Karnartham Viramah Foundation v. Union of India & Ors.
Vantara said the internal moratorium came into effect on June 5, 2026, the date of its most recent physical import of animals. It also informed the court that it has not submitted any new import applications since February 2026 and has no pending requests.
According to the representation submitted to the CITES Management Authority of India (CMA India), the 12-month pause will allow Vantara to strengthen its internal governance and due diligence systems. The facility said it would also use the period for structured outreach, international accreditation and benchmarking.
The disclosure comes against the backdrop of a Supreme Court order issued on May 27, in which the court declined a plea seeking a fresh investigation into international animal transfers to the Jamnagar facility.
The plea, filed by the Karnartham Viramah Foundation, had sought fresh investigations by agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) into wildlife transfers involving Vantara and the Khodiyar Animal Welfare Trust.
The Supreme Court had earlier noted that animal transfers up to September 2025 had been examined by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The SIT report was accepted in September 2025 and subsequently reaffirmed in March 2026.
Alongside the 12-month moratorium, Vantara has announced several permanent restrictions on future animal imports.
The facility said it would not import animals using CITES re-export certificates unless at least seven years have passed since the animals were originally imported.
It also said it would not directly import wild-caught specimens from their countries of natural range, including animals that were subsequently bred in captivity.
Vantara further said it would prioritise supporting animals in distress in their countries of origin by providing treatment, facilitating placement, and funding their lifetime care, rather than bringing such animals to India.