India

U.S. citizens have been arrested at Indian airports for smuggling narcotics — many said they didn't know they were carrying drugs, so never transport or mail packages that aren't yours.

Arrest and long imprisonment for smuggling

Verified Jul 3, 2026

Cannabis is illegal in India. Charas (hashish) and ganja, the flowering and fruiting tops of the plant, are banned narcotic drugs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and carrying even a personal amount is a criminal offence. There is no quantity you may lawfully hold: the official small quantity figure only reduces the sentence, it does not make possession legal. You can also be prosecuted over somebody else's drugs. Section 25 punishes the owner or occupier, or anyone merely having the control or use, of a house, room, place, animal or vehicle who knowingly lets it be used for a drug offence, and it imposes the same sentence as the offence itself; section 35 then makes the court presume you knew, leaving you to disprove it. Bhang, made from the plant's leaves, falls outside the Act's definition of cannabis and is sold under state excise licence in states such as Rajasthan, but it is restricted or prohibited in others and it does not make ganja or charas legal anywhere.

Possession of a small quantity, under 1,000 grams of ganja or under 100 grams of charas or hashish, carries rigorous imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to ten thousand rupees, or both. More than a small quantity but less than a commercial quantity carries up to ten years and a fine of up to one lakh rupees. A commercial quantity (20 kilograms of ganja, 1 kilogram of charas) carries a mandatory ten to twenty years plus a fine of one to two lakh rupees. Consuming cannabis is a separate offence under section 27, punishable with up to six months, a fine of up to ten thousand rupees, or both. Every NDPS offence is cognizable, so police may arrest without a warrant, and the Act's strict bail bar applies in commercial-quantity cases. The UK Foreign Office warns that the judicial process is slow and that you could be detained for several years while your case is processed. Allowing your room, house, place, animal or vehicle to be used for someone else's drug offence carries, under section 25, the punishment for that offence itself, and section 35 presumes you knew. Financing illicit traffic or harbouring a person engaged in it carries ten to twenty years plus a one to two lakh rupee fine under section 27A.

Verified Sep 17, 2026

Possessing a satellite phone (e.g. Thuraya/Iridium) or GPS device in India is illegal; travelers have faced fines, detention or arrest.

Fines reported as high as ~$200,000 and up to 3 years in jail.

Verified Jul 22, 2026

Foreigners may not bring Indian rupees into India (only residents returning from abroad may carry up to Rs 25,000), and you must file a Currency Declaration Form if you arrive with foreign cash over US$5,000 or total foreign exchange over US$10,000.

Undeclared currency over these limits can be seized, fined, or lead to prosecution.

Verified Jul 20, 2026

India strictly regulates importing/exporting antiquities, electronics, currency, ivory and gold objects; restricted items need Government of India permission.

Arrest, fines, and confiscation of the items.

Verified Jul 22, 2026

Each Indian state sets its own alcohol laws; some sell alcohol only for medicinal use or require a liquor permit, a few states (e.g. Gujarat, Bihar) are dry, and legal drinking ages range 18–25.

Penalties for violating state alcohol laws can be harsh (fines/detention).

Verified Jul 22, 2026

Bringing any e-cigarette or vape into India is illegal — the 2019 ban prohibits importing and storing all vaping devices, including nicotine-free ones, e-hookah and heat-not-burn products.

Import/sale: up to 1 year prison and/or a fine up to Rs 100,000 (repeat: up to 3 years + Rs 500,000); storage: up to 6 months and/or Rs 50,000.

Verified Jul 6, 2026

Smoking in any public place is banned across India under the national tobacco law (COTPA 2003). A public place is any place the public can access, such as auditoriums, hospitals, railway waiting rooms, amusement centres, restaurants, public offices, courts, schools and colleges, libraries and public transport. Hotels with 30 or more rooms, restaurants seating 30 or more and airports may set aside a separate smoking area; smoking is allowed only there. Tobacco may not be sold to anyone under 18, or anywhere within 100 yards of an educational institution. This is the national rule: rules made under the Act and several state laws add detail and can be stricter.

Smoking in a public place: fine of up to 200 rupees; the offence is compoundable (it can be settled by paying a compounding amount) and is tried summarily (COTPA 2003, s. 21). Selling tobacco to a person under 18 or near an educational institution: fine of up to 200 rupees (s. 24).

Verified Sep 22, 2026

Carrying a standalone GPS device in India is illegal and can result in fines, detention, or arrest — penalties can reach US$200,000 and up to 3 years in jail.

Up to $200,000 fine and 3 years in jail

Verified Jul 3, 2026

Bringing a satellite phone into India is illegal and can lead to fines, detention, or arrest — penalties reach up to US$200,000 and 3 years in jail.

Up to $200,000 fine and 3 years in jail

Verified Jul 3, 2026

India's Supreme Court decriminalized same-sex relationships in 2018 and the law bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, but enforcement is inconsistent and harassment is reported, especially in rural areas.

Verified Jul 22, 2026