India
India's copyright freedom of panorama is broad, covering buildings and public sculpture, but ASI permits and security rules are the real constraints.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for protected monuments; no permit for ordinary public street photography
Cost: No permit for personal photography in public; ASI monuments charge for tripods, lighting, and commercial shoots
Ordinary public photography needs no permit. ASI-protected monuments allow camera entry but require prior written permission and fees for tripods, lighting, and commercial shoots. Photographing government, defence, military, airport, and border sites is prohibited.
Drone / airspace
Governed by the DGCA Drone Rules 2021 via the Digital Sky platform; drones over 250g need registration
Aerial imaging over monuments and near airports, borders, and military sites is restricted. For depth, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes to photograph people in public; the right to privacy is a constitutional right after the Puttaswamy judgment
Publishing or selling an identifiable person's image commercially requires consent, ideally written.
Freedom of panorama
Full
Section 52 of the Copyright Act exempts photographing and publishing architecture and sculptures or works of artistic craftsmanship permanently in public, with no non-commercial qualifier, so you can sell those images. The limits are practical: ASI permits and fees, temple and private restrictions, and privacy law for people in frame.
Practical notes
- At the Taj Mahal, shoot the gardens and courtyards only; interior mausoleum photography is banned, and commercial shoots need prior ASI permission and fees.
- Do not photograph airports, military bases, defence installations, or major bridges; budget for ASI camera and tripod fees at protected monuments.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: