The Hidden Cost of Modern Food Systems: India Karuna Collaborative Launches to Address Invisible Animal Cruelty

New cross-sector platform positions farmed animal welfare within the One Health, One Planet framework

MUMBAI, India, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 1.5 billion farm animals are embedded in India's daily economic and food systems. Yet they remain invisible in economic decisions, policy frameworks, and measures of progress — and the cruelty they endure goes unseen. This was the core message at the launch of the India Karuna Collaborative (IKC), a first-of-its-kind national platform aimed at integrating animal welfare into India's climate, public health, and economic development agenda — held today in Mumbai.

More than 50 organisations and over 70 leaders from business, science, public health, and civil society have united as part of IKC, convinced that this invisible population represents a missing — and critical — dimension in the country's development story.

"IKC is not asking India to simply 'care more'. It is asking India to design better — so that care becomes embedded in how we produce, consume, regulate and innovate. Over the years, whether in business or philanthropy, I've come to believe that purpose is not a slogan. Purpose is a discipline. It changes what you invest in, what you measure, and what you build," said Harsh Mariwala, Founder and Chairman of Marico and Mentor to IKC, who delivered the keynote address, in the context of building markets and products that make humane choices easier, affordable and mainstream.

A position paper, The Interconnected Crisis: Animal Welfare, Human Health, and Climate Change in India, released at the launch, established the interlinkages at the root of food systems that have evolved without recognising animals as sentient beings.

"What makes this interconnected crisis so hard to address is that so much of it is invisible by design. We measure the output of milk, eggs, meat, but we don't measure pain. And yet, the scale of the pain is staggering: India's farmed animal population includes hundreds of millions of hens and bovines, millions of goats, sheep, pigs, — and trillions of fishes," said Motilal Oswal, Founder and Managing Director of Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited and Mentor to IKC.

New data released on the occasion shows that the public is already ahead of the curve. A nationally representative 2026 survey commissioned by IKC, They Feel, We Care: Young India's Attitudes to Farmed Animals, their Welfare and Plant-Forward Eating, found that 70% of participants believe farmed animals are sentient beings who experience suffering. It also found that 69% of dairy consumers and more than 50% of meat and egg consumers are willing to pay 10% or more for products with higher animal welfare standards, and that 53% are open to replacing some or all animal protein with plant-based options.

"Today's Indian consumer is informed, discerning, and values driven. They believe animals feel, they seek transparency in production, and they expect brands and governments to lead in elevating welfare standards across supply chains," said Edward Hutasoit, General Manager (India & Indonesia), YouGov, the research provider for the survey.

The launch concluded with a high-level panel discussion — One Health. One Planet. One Economy. One Blind Spot — moderated by Mehak Kasbekar, VP and Editor-in-Chief of Brut India. The panel brought together Dr Hemalatha R, former Director of ICMR National Institute of Nutrition; Amala Akkineni, founder of Blue Cross of Hyderabad; Gauri Maulekhi, trustee of People for Animals; and Sanjiv Mehta, Executive Chairman of L Catterton India.

During the panel discussion, Mr Sanjiv Mehta, Executive Chairman of L Catterton India, said, "As meat production and antibiotic use continue to rise, the economic and public health costs could be enormous. Businesses therefore have a responsibility to build supply chains with purpose — applying the same ethics, transparency, and sustainability standards that we bring to brands. Ultimately, a healthy society and a sustainable ecosystem are fundamental to long-term business success."

Ms Amala Akkineni, Founder, Blue Cross of Hyderabad, while sharing her thoughts said, "The challenges we face today — from animal suffering to environmental stress and agricultural strain — are deeply interconnected. These issues cannot be solved in isolation; meaningful change will require collective action across sectors and society. At the heart of the problem lies an exploitative approach towards animals and nature, and unless we begin to rethink that mindset, lasting solutions will remain difficult. Initiatives like the India Karuna Collaborative are important because they bring these conversations to the forefront and encourage society to rethink how we coexist with animals and the planet."

Ms Gauri Maulekhi, Trustee, People for Animals, added, "The way we raise animals for food is deeply connected to human health. Nearly 70% of the world's antibiotics are used in animal agriculture, largely because animals are kept in intensive, crowded conditions where disease spreads easily. From antibiotic-laden feed for farmed animals to practices like sewage-fed fish farming seen in parts of India, antibiotics are increasingly used to sustain industrial food production. While this system keeps costs low, the long-term price is far higher, accelerating antimicrobial resistance and the emergence of deadly superbugs. The issue has been acknowledged at the highest levels, including by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, yet it still does not receive the attention it urgently deserves."

About India Karuna Collaborative

The India Karuna Collaborative (IKC) brings together organisations and individuals committed to reducing animal suffering while advancing climate action, public health, and sustainable development. By uniting leaders across sectors, the Collaborative seeks to raise awareness, foster collaboration, and shift public and policy narratives toward a more integrated understanding of human, animal, and planetary wellbeing.

More than 50 organisations are members of IKC, and over 70 leaders from diverse sectors have formally taken the IKC Pledge, signalling growing national momentum behind the initiative.

The IKC Pledge:

"I believe that animals are sentient beings and that human, animal, and planetary well-being are interconnected. When animals suffer, people and the planet suffer too. I pledge to do my best to reduce animal suffering."

For more information, visit: www.indiakarunacollaborative.org 

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2931493/IKC.jpg