India has asked a United Nations–administered wildlife trade authority not to impose restrictions on its imports of endangered species, arguing that it has strengthened oversight amid growing scrutiny of animal shipments to a large private zoo operated by a major industrial family.

The controversy centres on Vantara, a 3,500-acre zoo and rescue facility in Gujarat run by the philanthropic arm of a leading Indian conglomerate. The zoo has been accused by non-profits and wildlife groups of irregular imports, prompting investigations by Indian authorities as well as heightened attention from agencies in Germany and the European Union.

A panel appointed by India’s Supreme Court cleared the facility of any wrongdoing in September, and Vantara has maintained that it complies fully with all regulations.

However, after inspecting the facility, the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) issued a report last week urging India to review its import procedures. The report pointed to discrepancies in trade data between exporting and importing countries and warned of insufficient checks on the origin of some animals.

In a formal submission dated November 10, India said any restrictive or punitive step by CITES would be “premature and disproportionate,” adding that such action would lack legal basis and amount to an unwarranted suspension of lawful imports. The government argued that the recommended halt on new import permits could undermine the CITES framework itself.

Despite acknowledging that Vantara meets “exceptionally high standards,” CITES recommended that India suspend import permits for endangered species until safeguards are improved, noting the risk that animals taken from the wild could be falsely declared as captive-bred.

India’s response said that it had already strengthened inspection and reporting mechanisms for all recognised zoos and rescue facilities, including Vantara, and has instructed the Central Zoo Authority to apply enhanced due diligence on future acquisitions.

Vantara hosts around 2,000 species, including exotic wildlife sourced from South Africa, Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The imports include snakes, tortoises, giraffes, chimpanzees, cheetahs and tigers. The declared value of the shipments totalled around $9 million, which the facility said represented freight and insurance costs rather than any payments for the animals themselves.

The CITES report noted that several animals at the zoo originated from commercial breeding centres that would typically sell the wildlife they raise. In its defence, India said the Supreme Court–appointed investigative panel had already determined that the imports complied with all relevant regulations.

The latest exchange signals continued wrangling over Vantara’s international wildlife imports as CITES prepares for its upcoming convention meeting later this month.