CITES, the UN-affiliated global wildlife trade organization, has withdrawn its earlier recommendation to ban the import of endangered wild animals to India. It was this very issue that led to attempts to spread confusion about Anant Ambani’s Vanatara project. According to a Reuters report, CITES reversed its decision after countries such as India, the US, Japan and Brazil said there was no evidence of illegal activity in the imports and the ban was too hasty.
At the 20th meeting of CITES held on Sunday, the Standing Committee and most of the member countries expressed clear support in favor of India. He said that there is no evidence or reason to take any action against India regarding import of animals. This decision is a major validation of Vantara’s wildlife care model based on legal, transparent and scientific methods. This proves that Vanatara adheres to global standards and is one of the most ethical and professionally run conservation centers in the world.
The CITES team considered it better
CITES Secretariat officials conducted a two-day inspection of Vanatara in September 2025. During this, the team inspected Vantara’s enclosure, medical facilities, records, rescue system and all regulations related to animal care. In its report to the Standing Committee on 30 September 2025, the Secretariat described Vantara as a modern, welfare-oriented and high-level institution. It states that Vantara’s work is solely focused on the conservation and care of animals and that there is no commercial trade. The report also notes that Vantara demonstrates openness, cooperation and compliance with CITES regulations at every step.
India is getting huge support from the world
When most countries supported India in Sunday’s discussion, it was clear that there is confidence in Vantara’s intentions and work at the international level as well. This decision puts to rest the misconceptions and misleading stories circulating on social media and clearly states that Vantara is on the right track of safety, legislation and care. This endorsement not only reflects confidence in India’s CITES compliance system, but also Vantara’s commitment to these standards from the outset. This is a strong recognition of Vantara’s work and its contribution to global conservation.
The SIT of the Supreme Court also gave a clean chit to Vantara
A few days ago, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Supreme Court of India also gave its report, in which it clearly stated that everything is fine in Vantara and no evidence of any irregularities has been found in it. This is completely consistent with the report. The SIT was tasked to investigate all legal, financial, welfare and CITES allegations related to Vantara. After a thorough investigation, the SIT said that all the complaints and several media reports were baseless, false and without any legal or factual evidence.
The SIT found that all the animals were imported legally and for non-commercial purposes. All documents and permits were valid. There was no smuggling, money laundering, or financial irregularities. Customs documentation was just a routine assessment process. Vantara not only follows CZA (Central Zoo Authority) norms but also goes beyond them. This organization also holds Global Humane Certified standards. Vanatara is not a private collection but an internationally recognized rescue and conservation centre.
Learn about Vantara
Vantara is a major wildlife conservation and rescue project initiated by Anant Ambani. It is supported by Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation. Vantara works on the rescue and rehabilitation of injured, distressed and endangered animals in an area of 3,000 acres located in the Jamnagar refinery complex in Gujarat. It is the first and largest project of its kind in India, designed under the leadership of Anant Ambani. Vanatara has state-of-the-art hospitals, research centers, healthcare facilities and also works with international organizations like IUCN and WWF. Over the years, Vantara has rescued more than 200 elephants and thousands of other animals, birds and reptiles from dangerous situations. The project is also working on the conservation and rehabilitation of key species such as rhinoceros, leopards and crocodiles.