Whither Modi promise? India’s beef export industry: Growth, debate, contradictions

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* 

Before coming to power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the strongest critics of the Congress-led government’s encouragement of beef exports, often referring to it as the “Pink Revolution.” He had accused the Manmohan Singh administration of promoting the trade for political reasons and promised to curb it if elected. More than a decade later, however, India’s beef export industry has not only continued but also expanded under his tenure. Since 2014, exports have risen by about 16 percent.

Halting this trade is not straightforward. India lacks a uniform law on cattle slaughter, and regulations vary from state to state. Cattle are often transported across state borders to places where slaughter rules are less restrictive, allowing the trade to function much as it did before.

India is now the world’s second-largest beef exporter after Brazil, with an annual trade valued at approximately $4.3 billion. The industry has deep roots, beginning in the 1960s, but it has grown substantially in the past decade. Currently, Indian beef—largely buffalo meat—is exported to about 65 countries, where it is valued for being sourced from free-ranging animals.

The debate over whether exports involve cow meat as well as buffalo meat remains unresolved. Officially, most of India’s exported beef is buffalo meat, supported by the fact that India has the largest buffalo population in the world—about 115 million. Buffaloes account for the bulk of the 1.53 million tons of beef produced annually. However, India also has 76 million cows, and many are eventually diverted to the leather and meat industry once they stop producing milk, raising persistent questions about whether cow meat also enters the export chain.

The industry is highly profitable and has attracted participants across religious communities. While the sector is often politically associated with Muslims, some of the country’s leading exporters are Hindu-owned firms. Among the six largest exporters, four are run by Hindu entrepreneurs, including Al-Kabeer Exports Pvt. Ltd. (Shatish and Atul Sabharwal), Arabian Exports Pvt. Ltd. (Sunil Kapoor), M.K.R Frozen Food Exports Pvt. Ltd. (Madan Abott), and P.M.L Industries Pvt. Ltd. (A.S. Bindra).

An additional paradox lies in certification practices. All beef destined for export carries a Halal stamp to meet international demand, particularly from Gulf countries. At the same time, the government has prohibited Halal certification for domestic consumption.

India’s beef export sector thus represents both economic opportunity and social contradiction. It generates billions in revenue and supports a significant share of global demand, while simultaneously fueling debates over law, religion, and politics. The industry’s growth under successive governments suggests that economic imperatives often outweigh political promises.

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*Journalist based in Chennai