Each link leads to the page of the site devoted to that topic for this country. The general topic sits at the top of each of those pages.
The country in brief
India, 1.4 billion people, has no single family law: Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Parsis marry, divorce and inherit under their own personal laws, while the Special Marriage Act 1954 offers a civil route for interfaith couples; Uttarakhand adopted a Uniform Civil Code in 2025. The Supreme Court declined in 2023 to recognise same-sex marriage, leaving the matter to Parliament, and dowry remains prohibited but widespread.
Abortion is lawful up to 20 weeks, and 24 in specified cases, under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act as amended in 2021; the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 complete the picture. The pages below give the Indian rule for each theme, with the differences between personal laws and the procedures in the family courts.
Courtship and beauty around the world
What the article says about this country — each link goes straight to the custom:
Advice
- Adoption
- Childcare
- Copyright
- Data protection
- Divorce
- Domestic violence
- Fundamental rights
- Healthy, good-looking teeth
- Identity theft
- Image rights
- Inheritance
- International dating
- Marriage
- Matrimonial property and inheritance
- Naming law, country by country
- Online shopping
- Partnerships and cohabitation
- Privacy
- Romance scams
- Same-sex marriage
- Sexual offences committed abroad
- Speech and online harassment
- Step-families
- The religious ceremony
- Wedding customs and ceremonies
- When your teenager's first relationship begins
Health
Sexuality
Locate this page in the site map
A question, a correction, a suggestion? Write to us.
