Organ transplant law in India
Organ transplants in India are governed by strict law. Here is what the law says and what it means for international patients.
The rules exist to stop organ trading and to protect donors. Knowing them in advance saves time, money and heartbreak.
Free. No obligation. A written opinion within 48 hours.
The law on organ transplantation
Organ transplantation in India is governed by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 1994, amended in 2011 and updated by rules in 2014.
The Act sets who may donate, who must approve a transplant, and severe penalties for trading in organs. It applies to Indian citizens and to foreign nationals being treated in India.
Living donor rules
A living donor must be a near relative — spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents or grandchildren.
A non-relative donation is possible only with approval from the hospital's authorization committee, which must be satisfied that the donation is genuinely altruistic and not for payment.
Every donor is interviewed separately to confirm they are acting freely. The committee, not the treating doctor, decides.
- Near relatives can donate after committee approval
- Non-relatives need the authorization committee's consent
- Donors are interviewed separately and privately
- No payment for organs — buying or selling is a crime
No organ trading
Trading in human organs is a criminal offence in India. Hospitals found dealing in organs can lose their licence and their staff can face prosecution.
This is also the reason transplant costs in India cover genuine medical care, hospitals and follow-up — not organs.
International patients
The same law applies to foreign patients. You need a valid Indian medical visa, a receiving hospital registered for transplantation, and — for a living donor — the authorization committee process.
If your donor is not a near relative under the Act, the committee's approval is required, and it will need full documentation of your relationship or the reasons for the donation.
Approval timelines
The authorization committee usually meets on fixed dates, so approval depends on the hospital's meeting schedule.
In practice, plan for several weeks between your first hospital visit and the transplant date. Bringing complete donor documentation from your home country speeds this up considerably.
What TIB HIND does for you
We prepare the transplant paperwork, coordinate the authorization committee submission, and manage the supporting documents your hospital and the committee require.
We also handle the medical visa, flights and follow-up schedule. We do not arrange donors, and we will not help bypass any part of the law.
Questions
Yes, but only with approval from the hospital's authorization committee, which must be satisfied the donation is genuine and not paid. The process needs full documentation and a committee interview.
It depends on the hospital's committee meeting schedule, but allow several weeks. Complete donor documentation in advance shortens the process.
Costs cover the surgery, hospital stay, medicines and follow-up — never the organ. See our cost pages for typical ranges, and we will give you a written estimate for your case.
Related pages
Send the Reports Before You Compare Prices
Send your reports to tibhind@gmail.com or on WhatsApp. A US board-certified physician reads them and you get a written opinion with costs within 48 hours. Free, and with no obligation.