New Delhi, May 3 – In a significant policy decision prompted by national security concerns, India has imposed an immediate ban on the direct and indirect import of all goods originating from or transiting through Pakistan. The move follows last month’s deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists were killed.
As per agency report, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a notification on May 2, stating that the measure is in the interest of national security and public policy. The restriction applies to all categories of goods regardless of whether they were previously classified as freely importable or allowed under existing trade agreements. Any exception to this new rule will require explicit approval from the Indian government.
The updated provision has been inserted into the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 under a new clause titled "Prohibition on Import from Pakistan." It states that the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods made in or exported from Pakistan is now prohibited with immediate effect until further notice.
This move effectively halts the limited trade that remained between the two neighboring countries. From April 2024 to January 2025, India exported goods worth approximately USD 44.76 million to Pakistan, while imports stood at just USD 4,200. The primary imports from Pakistan during this period included fruits and nuts (USD 80,000), certain oilseeds and medicinal plants (USD 260,000), and organic chemicals.
Following the Pahalgam attack on April 22, India took several retaliatory steps, including the closure of the Attari border checkpoint used for limited goods movement, expulsion of the Pakistani military attaché, and suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. These steps mark a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations and an effective freeze on any form of trade cooperation.
India and Pakistan had already witnessed a near-complete breakdown in trade following the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, after which both nations imposed reciprocal trade restrictions. Pakistan also responded by suspending all commercial exchanges with India, including trade conducted through third countries routed via Pakistan.
During the fiscal year 2023-24, India’s exports to Pakistan stood at USD 1.18 billion, while imports were recorded at just USD 288,000. In previous years, bilateral trade remained marginal, with India exporting goods worth USD 627.1 million and USD 513.8 million in 2022-23 and 2021-22 respectively, while imports were valued at USD 2.01 million and USD 2.54 million in those years.
