India Imposes Blanket Ban on Imports from Pakistan

Besides, the Union government on Saturday also suspended all inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan, along with banning Pakistani-flagged vessels from Indian ports, a move to halt all inbound shipments of goods from Pakistan to India. This decision comes hours after India imposed an immediate ban on the direct and indirect import of all goods from Pakistan.

Pakistan mainly exports some key items to India, including copper, glassware, organic chemicals, sulphur, fruits and nuts, and certain oilseeds. Even before the Pahalgam horror unfolded, the recent report said that India-Pakistan trade had more than halved since 2018. "Bilateral trade also dipped to $1.2 billion in 2024 from a peak of almost $3 billion 6 years prior. However, India's exports to Pakistan in April-January 2024-25 stood at $447.65 million, while imports were meagre $0.42 million," the report added.

Citing some security concerns, the commerce ministry in a notification on May 2 said that 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. "This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy. Any exception to this prohibition shall require prior approval of the Government of India," said the ministry, adding that the ban will take effect immediately.

In the notification, the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT), a commerce ministry's wing also said that the restriction has been implemented in the interest of national security and public policy. "However, the order amends the foreign trade policy (FTP) 2023 to include a provision prohibiting the import or transit of any goods originating in or exported from Pakistan “until further orders," the notification said.

Meanwhile, the department of posts in a public notice also said that the government of India has decided to suspend exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes. India has also banned Pakistani-flagged ships from entering Indian ports and prohibited Indian-flagged vessels from visiting ports in Pakistan. With such strict measures, the decision will completely halt all inbound shipments of goods from Pakistan to India.

In the past few days, India has also implemented a series of measures against Pakistan in response to its backing of cross-border terrorism. These include suspending the Indus Water Treaty, shutting down the Integrated check post at Attari, and deciding to reduce the strength of High Commissions. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, the Wagah-Attari border, the sole trade route between India and Pakistan, had also already been closed