• Real (hard) corals (the reef-building group Scleractinia) are CITES-controlled worldwide and, in India, protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. That means collection and trade/export of natural stony corals from India is prohibited (fossilized corals are the only general CITES exemption, but Indian law still protects living corals). Build your range accordingly.
  
• Tortoiseshell (hawksbill turtle scutes) is Appendix I (CITES)—total trade ban. If a vendor offers “real tortoiseshell”, walk away.
  

What this means in practice: position the category as Shell Crafts (mother-of-pearl, conch/chank, seashell mosaics, etc.) and coral-look alternatives (resin/ceramic in coral motifs). Do not source real coral or turtle products from India.

Shell crafts

Regional specificity (artisan clusters):

• Puri, Odisha – long tradition of shell jewellery, figurines, frames (state handicrafts directorate).
  
• Gulf of Mannar / Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu – historic chank (Turbinella pyrum) fishery feeding shell craft supply chains.
  
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands – government emporia highlight mother-of-pearl and shell décor (tourism-linked retail hub).
  

Quality cues buyers recognize:

• Material grade: even, thick shell lamina (for carving/inlay), uniform nacre “orient”, clean polish; minimal porosity/edge chipping.
  
• Build: flush joins in shell mosaics; non-yellowing adhesives; smooth edges; stable backing boards.
  
• Hardware compliance (for jewellery/metal fittings): EU REACH limits—nickel release ≤0.5 μg/cm²/week for skin-contact items (≤0.2 for piercings); lead ≤0.05%; cadmium ≤0.01%. Quote EN 1811:2023 for nickel testing on your tech sheets.
  

Exports & HS coding (how it shows up in data):

• Unworked/simply prepared shells → HS 0508. India exports to many partners; the WITS partner table for 2023 shows shipments to Brazil (~$41k), UAE (~$32k), Nigeria (~$23k) and others (illustrative—050800 is a niche but active flow).
• Worked mother-of-pearl & carved shell articles → HS 9601 (note: India’s import of 9601 items is “Restricted” in DGFT; for exports, what matters is species legality and documentation).
• Shell-based fashion jewellery (on base metal/thread) → HS 7117. India exported ~US$145 million of HS 7117 in 2023; top markets include the US/UK/Spain.
  

Export policy guardrails you must follow (DGFT):

• HS 0508 shells not in WLPA Schedules → Free (export permitted).
  
• HS 0508 shells listed in CITES (but not in WLPA Schedules) → export allowed subject to CITES permits.
  
• HS 0508 shells listed in WLPA Schedules → Prohibited (no export). (These clauses are reproduced in DGFT’s Schedule-2 notes used by trade portals and notifications.)
  

“Coral” crafts

Because real stony corals are legally protected, Indian exporters typically sell:

• Coral-motif items in resin/ceramic/wood; or
  
• Shell-based décor that resembles coral (but uses permitted shells/MOP).
  If any supply chain mentions “coral”, insist on material disclosure and No-CITES/No-WLPA declarations (your PI/T&C should state this)
  

Why India

• Provenance & narrative: Odisha seashell craft (documented by the state), Gulf of Mannar chank history, and Andaman MOP give authentic origins—distinct from generic Southeast Asian souvenir lines.
  
• Category adjacency & scale: India is already a sizeable exporter in the imitation jewellery basket (HS 7117 ≈ US$145 m; 2023), making it easy to bundle shell jewellery with décor for multi-SKU buys.
  
• Compliance readiness: Indian exporters regularly work to REACH chemical limits for international jewellery; quoting EN 1811:2023 on nickel release and declaring lead/cadmium compliance is standard practice for EU/UK.
  

HS & compliance cheat-sheet

• HS 0508 – Unworked/simply prepared shells (and coral, but coral export from India is prohibited due to WLPA Schedule-I). For shells: Free (non-WLPA), CITES-governed (CITES-listed but not WLPA), Prohibited (WLPA-listed).
  
• HS 9601 – Worked mother-of-pearl / carved shell articles. Ensure species legality; avoid any WLPA species; keep invoices/material declarations.
  
• HS 7117 – Imitation jewellery (typical for shell jewellery on base metals/threads). India 2023 exports ≈ US$145 m.
  
• Do not use real coral: CITES-controlled globally; WLPA Schedule-I in India. No tortoiseshell (hawksbill, CITES Appendix I).
  
• EU market tests: EN 1811:2023 (nickel); REACH Annex XVII limits for lead (≤0.05%) and cadmium (≤0.01%) in jewellery components.

Buyer-ready line items

• “Mother-of-pearl inlay tray, 40×30 cm, HS 9601.”
  Materials: MOP tiles on wood substrate; clear lacquer. Compliance: No WLPA species; metal handles REACH-compliant (Ni/Pb/Cd); finish meets retailer chemical RSL. Origin: Puri/Andaman cluster.
  
• “Shell-set fashion necklace, HS 7117.”
  Materials: polished shell discs on base-metal chain. Compliance: EN 1811:2023 nickel; lead ≤0.05%, cadmium ≤0.01%. Country of origin: India.