NEW DELHI, May 3:— India has banned the import of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan with immediate effect, citing national security and public policy concerns, the government announced Friday.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, issued a formal notification prohibiting the direct or indirect import or transit of all products from Pakistan, regardless of their trade status.
“All direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect until further orders,” the notification reads.
The restriction follows amendments to India’s Foreign Trade Policy 2023 and comes in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which left 26 tourists dead.
Government officials confirmed that any exceptions to the prohibition will require explicit approval from the central government.
India’s main exports to Pakistan include cotton, organic chemicals, food items, plastic products, man-made filaments, coffee, tea, spices, pharmaceuticals, and dairy goods. Conversely, India primarily imports copper and copper articles, fruits and nuts, salt, sulphur, organic chemicals, wool, glassware, and raw hides from Pakistan.
The move marks another escalation in India’s retaliatory measures against Pakistan, underscoring worsening bilateral ties in the aftermath of cross-border violence.
