Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is an autonomous and statutory body of Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Government of India.
Traditionally, the 1956 Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act (HAMA), adoption, subject to the requirements and rigors of the Act, is available in India to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs, and others subject to Hindu family law or custom.
For others, the 1890 Guardians and Wards Act applies, but which provides only guardianship, not adoption, for those not subject to Hindu family law or custom.
[3] As required by the 1993 Hague Convention, Article 4(b), children residing in India are always offered to Indian families before any foreigner.
[6] However, there is a lot of misunderstanding by prospective adoptive parents in India who believe that foreigners get priority in choosing children.