Oct. 9 (Bloomberg) -- The Indian government has made it compulsory for tobacco-product makers to include pictorial warnings on the packets of products, including cigarettes, starting Dec. 1.

The announcement was made today in an e-mailed statement from India's Press Information Bureau.

Indian Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said in July the government plans to make pictorial warnings on packets of tobacco products mandatory from Oct. 1.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mrinalini Datta in New Delhi at mdatta1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 9, 2007 02:35 EDT