Cannabis — India

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. Bhang, made from the plant's leaves, falls outside the Act's definition of cannabis and is sold under state excise licence in some 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.