India: Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences

Few public health problems are as quietly dangerous as antimicrobial resistance. It builds slowly, out of sight, in farms and feedlots as much as in hospitals, until the medicines that once saved lives begin to fail. On 3 September 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare took a notable step against this slow-motion crisis, issuing a draft notification that proposes to prohibit the import, manufacture, sale, and distribution of two specific groups of antibiotics intended for use in animals.

The recent spate of inspections and raids conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) across Maharashtra has triggered a wider debate on the balance between regulatory enforcement and procedural fairness. Several prominent restaurants, hotels and food establishments found themselves facing suspension orders, stop-business notices and threats of closure allegedly on account of hygiene discrepancies and alleged violations of food safety norms.

On 7 August 2026, the Delhi High Court stayed an order of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (“FSSAI”) prohibiting Dabur India Limited from selling certain food products carrying claims such as “100% Pure”, “100% Natural” and “100% Organic”. Hon’ble Justice Amit Mahajan (Delhi High Court) held that the prohibition ought not to have been passed without an opportunity of hearing. That order captures the season. In recent weeks, the regulator has intensified its enforcement measures to ensure compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the courts have begun to ask how far it may go.