Flying from India to the UAE? Know these baggage restrictions on food, medicines and other items

If you're travelling from India to the UAE, it's important to check baggage rules before you start packing. Apart from the UAE's customs regulations, Indian airlines follow security guidelines issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which restrict the carriage of certain food items and other goods.

Some items are completely prohibited, while others are allowed only in checked baggage and not in your cabin bag.

For Indian travellers and NRIs returning to the UAE after a visit home, carrying homemade snacks, spices and regional delicacies is common. However, not everything that can be packed is allowed on board or into the UAE.


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Can you carry homemade food from India to the UAE?

Certain food items are permitted, and some can be carried only in checked baggage.

Copra (dried coconut) and dry crushed coconut are prohibited on flights. Whole coconuts and spice powders, including chilli powder, cannot be carried in cabin baggage but are permitted in checked luggage. Green crushed coconut, however, is allowed in both cabin and checked baggage.

Ghee and cooking oil are also permitted, although there are limits. They can be carried in cabin baggage only if they comply with airline liquid restrictions, while checked baggage is limited to 5 kg or litres per passenger. Pickles are generally allowed in both cabin and checked baggage, but chilli pickle must be packed only in checked baggage.

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Travellers should also remember that airline baggage rules and UAE customs rules are different. According to Dubai Customs, personal food items can be brought into the country, but products such as paan (betel leaves) and cooked food are not allowed.

Which items are banned or restricted on flights from India to the UAE?

Besides food, several everyday items are either prohibited or subject to restrictions because of aviation security regulations.

Passengers should avoid carrying poppy seeds, fireworks, ammunition, knives with blades measuring 6 cm or longer, weapons or their replicas, toy guns, bows and arrows, measuring tapes, cricket bats, skateboards and fishing rods.

Airlines also impose strict rules on power banks, lithium batteries, drones and other flammable items, with some permitted only under specific conditions and others completely prohibited.

Can you take medicines from India to the UAE?

The rules depend on the type of medicine.

If you are carrying controlled medicines, you must obtain approval from the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) before travelling. You should also carry your doctor's prescription covering the quantity of medicine you are bringing into the country.

For prescriptions involving uncontrolled medicines and over-the-counter medicines, prior approval is not required.

Travellers are advised to check whether their prescribed medicines contain controlled ingredients before flying, as the UAE has strict regulations governing certain drugs.

The UAE has a zero-tolerance policy towards narcotic drugs and illegal substances. Items such as hashish, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogenic pills and poppy seeds are prohibited and cannot be brought into the country.

Travellers should not carry medicines containing controlled or psychotropic substances unless they have obtained the required approvals for authorised medical use.

Baggage regulations are based on both aviation safety and the destination country's customs laws. This means an item that is allowed in checked baggage may not be permitted in cabin baggage, while a product accepted by an airline may still be refused entry into the UAE.

Before travelling from India to the UAE, passengers should check both their airline's baggage policy and the UAE's customs and medication regulations to avoid delays, confiscation of items or penalties on arrival.