Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious viral disease which affects a wide range of ruminants and was first reported in India in 1964. Bluetongue Virus (BTV) is devastating haemorrhagic viral disease of both wild and domestic ruminants, classified among category ‘A’ diseases notifiable to the World Organization of animal Health (OIE). The vector of the disease is biting midges of genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and the disease is characterized by high morbidity and mortality resulting severe economic losses to sheep farmers. BTV distribution depends on the vector presence, and it is endemic in geographical regions located in latitude of approximately 40°–50° North and 35° South. Over the five decades after the first report of BT in 1964, most of the known serotypes of Bluetongue Virus (BTV) have been reported by detection of serotype specific antibodies and rarely by virus isolation from the fly. Although virus isolation and serotyping are the gold standards, rapid method based on the detection of the viral nucleic acid may be more suitable for India, yet for effective control of BT may be pertinent to introduce sentinel and vector traps systems for identification of the circulating serotypes and to evaluate herd immunity against them, so that relevant strains can be included in vaccine formulations. Recently, an inactivated pentavalent vaccine (BTV- 1, 2, 10, 16 and 23) is developed and commercialized in India.