India established its first Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC) at the Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre & College, Meerut Cantonment, Uttar Pradesh, which received official global recognition from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
About EDFC
- Purpose:
- To facilitate the international movement of Indian sport horses.
- To align with global biosecurity and animal health standards.
- To boost India’s participation in global equestrian events and the equine trade sector.
- Key Features:
- Global Recognition & Compliance:
- Certified under the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
- Based on the principle of compartmentalisation — defining animal sub-populations with specific health status maintained via strict protocols.
- Facility Highlights:
- Located at RVC Centre, Meerut, UP.
- First globally recognised EDFC in India.
- Enables horses to compete internationally, enhancing India’s standing in equestrian sports and high-value trade.
- Biosecurity & Disease-Free Status: Declared free from:
- Equine Infectious Anemia
- Equine Influenza
- Equine Piroplasmosis
- Glanders
- Surra
- India has remained free from African Horse Sickness since 2014.
- Institutional Collaboration:
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD)
- Directorate of Remount Veterinary Services (Ministry of Defence)
- Equestrian Federation of India (EFI)
- Animal Husbandry Department, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh
- Wider Impact:
- Supports India’s strategic goal of biosecurity, safe trade, and animal health resilience.
- Poultry Sector: India is applying a similar compartmentalisation model to create Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)-Free Compartments for export of poultry products.