All research funded by the Wellcome Trust–DBT India Alliance (the ‘Alliance’) must be fully compliant with the law and all researchers and facilities must have the appropriate regulatory approval. It is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure that Alliance-funded research that involves the use of animals complies at all times with the relevant laws and regulation in the host country. The relevant Indian standards can be found on the Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests website.

The Alliance expects that, as well as being compliant with all local legislation and ethical review procedures, any research involving the use of animals is carried out in the spirit of UK legislation, which the Alliance considers to provide an appropriate international standard for research involving the use of animals. Information about the code of practice for the housing and care of animals under UK legislation can be found on the Home Office website.

As well as complying with the legislation, all Alliance grants involving animals are assessed by independent peer reviewers who are asked to ensure that the use of animals in the research is necessary and relevant. In all animal experiments supported by the Alliance, the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Refinement and Reduction) apply.