On this page
- What Are Halal and Kosher Certification?
- How Does Halal Certification Work for Indian Food Exports?
- How Does Kosher Certification Work for Indian Food Exports?
- How Do Halal and Kosher Compare?
- How Does the Certification Process Work?
- Which Markets Ask for Which Certificate?
- How Is Certification Maintained Across the Supply Chain?
- How Do You Source Halal and Kosher Products from India?
- Frequently asked questions
Halal certification in India is issued by private halal certification bodies after they review a food maker’s ingredients and audit its plant; for meat exports, the body must be accredited under the Quality Council of India’s i-CAS Halal scheme. Kosher certification is issued by kosher agencies after a similar review and inspection. For plant-based commodities such as spices, pulses and seeds, both certificates are usually a buyer requirement rather than a legal one. This guide explains how each works and when you need it.
Key takeaways
- Since 2023, Indian meat exports must be halal certified by a body accredited under the i-CAS Halal scheme, as set by DGFT Notification 03/2023.
- For plant foods, halal and kosher certificates are mostly asked for by importers, retailers and food brands, not required by law.
- Halal follows Islamic dietary law; kosher follows Jewish dietary law. The rules overlap in places but are not the same.
- Check which certification body your buyer or market recognises before you start.
What Are Halal and Kosher Certification?
Halal and kosher certification are independent checks that a food, and the way it is made, meet religious dietary laws. A certification body reviews the ingredients and the process, inspects the plant and then allows the product to carry its mark or issues a certificate.
Halal means “permissible” under Islamic law. It excludes pork, alcohol used as an ingredient, blood and meat not slaughtered by Islamic rites, and it requires that halal goods are kept apart from non-halal goods. Kosher means “fit” under Jewish dietary law (kashrut). It covers which animals may be eaten, how they are slaughtered, the separation of meat and dairy, and the supervision of ingredients and equipment. Both systems care about the full supply chain, not only the final product.
How Does Halal Certification Work for Indian Food Exports?
India has no government halal certifier. Certificates are issued by private halal bodies, and the rules differ for meat and for other foods.
Meat and meat products: in April 2023, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued Notification 03/2023. Since then, meat and meat products can be exported as halal certified only if they are produced, processed and packed in a facility certified by a body accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under the India Conformity Assessment Scheme (i-CAS) for Halal, run by the Quality Council of India.
Plant foods and processed foods: spices, pulses, seeds, grains, dehydrated vegetables and peanut products are not covered by i-CAS Halal. Exporters who need halal certification for these products use a private halal body. Many importing countries keep lists of the foreign halal bodies they recognise. Examples include JAKIM in Malaysia, BPJPH in Indonesia, and the GCC Accreditation Center and the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology for the Gulf. A certificate is most useful when it comes from a body on your market’s list.
How Does Kosher Certification Work for Indian Food Exports?
Kosher certification for Indian exports is usually issued by international kosher agencies that work in India through local rabbinic field representatives. Well-known agencies include OU, OK Kosher, Star-K and Kof-K. Buyers often ask for a specific agency, because retailers and food brands recognise some marks more than others.
For plant products, the kosher review focuses on three points: the ingredients and processing aids, the equipment and whether it is shared with non-kosher products, and the cleaning between runs. Products are classed as meat, dairy or pareve (neutral). Most spices, pulses, seeds and grains are pareve. Products for Passover need extra supervision and a separate certificate. The agency usually makes initial and regular inspections and may make unannounced visits.
How Do Halal and Kosher Compare?
Halal and kosher share some ideas, such as banning pork and controlling slaughter, but they differ on many details. One certificate cannot replace the other. The table shows the main differences.
| Point | Halal | Kosher |
|---|---|---|
| Religious basis | Islamic law (Quran, Sunnah) | Jewish dietary law (kashrut) |
| Pork | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Alcohol | Not allowed as an ingredient | Allowed if the source is kosher (for example kosher wine) |
| Meat and dairy together | Allowed | Not allowed; separate equipment needed |
| Shellfish | Most schools allow seafood | Not allowed |
| Slaughter | By a Muslim, with the name of God invoked | By a trained shochet, followed by inspection |
| Product classes | Halal or not halal | Meat, dairy or pareve; Passover is separate |
| Who certifies in India | Private halal bodies; i-CAS accredited bodies for meat | International kosher agencies with local representatives |
| Main export markets | GCC, Malaysia, Indonesia, Muslim consumers worldwide | USA, Israel, Europe and kosher-observant consumers |
Halal vs kosher certification at a glance.
How Does the Certification Process Work?
The process for both halal and kosher certification follows the same basic steps. It usually takes a few weeks for a simple plant product, and longer for complex processed foods.
- Choose a body: select a certifier that your buyer and your target market accept.
- Apply and declare: list every product, ingredient, processing aid, packaging material and supplier.
- Document review: the body checks ingredient specifications and the certificates of your raw material suppliers.
- Plant audit: an inspector visits the plant to check equipment, cleaning, storage, separation and records.
- Corrections: any gaps found in the audit are fixed and confirmed.
- Certificate: the body issues a certificate for a fixed period, often one year, listing the approved products.
- Surveillance: regular and sometimes unannounced audits keep the certificate valid. Many buyers also ask for a certificate for each shipment.
Buyers should check three things on any certificate they receive: the name of the certified company and plant, the list of approved products, and the expiry date. A certificate for a different plant, or one that does not list your product, does not cover your shipment. If in doubt, contact the certification body and ask it to confirm the certificate is valid.
Which Markets Ask for Which Certificate?
Halal certificates are asked for most in Muslim-majority markets, and kosher certificates most in the USA and Israel. The legal need is strongest for meat and for foods with animal-derived ingredients.
- GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain): halal certification is required for meat, poultry and products with animal-derived ingredients. For plant commodities, it is usually a buyer or retailer request.
- Malaysia and Indonesia: halal rules are strict, and Indonesia is phasing in mandatory halal certification for food under its Halal Product Assurance law. Check the current deadlines for imported products.
- USA and Canada: kosher certification is voluntary but common on packaged foods, and many ingredient buyers require it.
- Israel: many importers and retail chains require kosher certification.
- Europe and the UK: both are voluntary and are asked for by brands that serve halal or kosher consumers.
How Is Certification Maintained Across the Supply Chain?
A certificate stays valid only if the whole supply chain stays compliant. A new supplier, a new ingredient or a shared production line can break the chain.
Keep raw material supplier certificates up to date, and tell your certifier before you change an ingredient or supplier. Store certified and non-certified goods apart, label them clearly and clean shared equipment to a written procedure. Good lot traceability links each bag to its raw material and production run, which makes halal and kosher audits faster. Use clean, food-grade containers and packaging, and record the cleaning of each container before loading.
Related reading: NPOP Certification: Organic Certification for Indian Food Exports and Food Traceability Explained: From Farm Lot to Container.
How Do You Source Halal and Kosher Products from India?
Ask your supplier early which halal certification India bodies or kosher agencies it works with, and confirm that your market recognises them. Send the name of the body you need with your enquiry, and ask whether you need a plant certificate, a product certificate or a certificate for each shipment.
Elysium Agri Corporation exports spices, pulses, peanuts, sesame, grains and dehydrated vegetables from Jamnagar, Gujarat. We hold IEC, APEDA RCMC, FSSAI Central Licence and Spices Board registrations, listed with their numbers on our certificates page, and you can check them yourself through our verify page. If your market needs a halal or kosher certificate, tell us the product and the body you accept, and we will confirm what we can provide for your order. Our quality and lab testing pages explain how each lot is checked.
Share your product list, certificate needs and destination port, and we will reply with a quote and the documents we can supply. Request a certified product quote →
Frequently asked questions
How does a food exporter get halal certification in India?
The exporter applies to a halal certification body, declares all products, ingredients and suppliers, and passes a document review and a plant audit. After any gaps are fixed, the body issues a certificate for a fixed period, often one year. Meat exporters must use a body accredited under the i-CAS Halal scheme.
What is the difference between halal and kosher?
Halal follows Islamic dietary law and kosher follows Jewish dietary law. Both ban pork and control slaughter. Kosher also bans shellfish and mixing meat with dairy, while halal bans alcohol as an ingredient. They use different certifiers, so one certificate cannot replace the other.
Is halal certification required for exports to the Middle East?
For meat, poultry and foods with animal-derived ingredients, GCC countries require halal certification. For plant commodities such as spices, pulses and seeds, it is usually not a legal requirement, but many importers, retailers and food brands ask for it. Check that your certifier is recognised in the destination country.
What does kosher certification cover for food products?
Kosher certification covers the ingredients and processing aids, the equipment and whether it is shared with non-kosher products, the cleaning between runs, and the separation of meat and dairy. Products are classed as meat, dairy or pareve. Passover products need extra supervision and a separate certificate.
Who issues halal certificates for export from India?
Halal certificates for Indian exports are issued by private halal certification bodies. For meat and meat products, the body must be accredited by NABCB under the Quality Council of India's i-CAS Halal scheme. For other foods, buyers usually ask for a body that their own market's halal authority recognises.
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