India expands essential exports to Maldives via two additional ports

The Indian government has added two additional ports to for exporting staples and essential commodities under an agreement between the Maldives and India.

In April, four ports were identified for the export of essential commodities to the Maldives, including Tuticorin Port, Mundra Port, Nhava Sheva Port, and Tughlakabad Port.

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) announced in a notification that Kandla and Vishakhapatnam Customs Sea ports have now been added to this list, allowing exports of essential commodities, which are typically under the prohibited/restricted category, to the Maldives for the year 2024-2025.

With the addition of these two seaports, there are now six ports permitted for exports to the Maldives.

The Indian government designated ports and issued permits because the export of essential commodities is usually prohibited or restricted. However, exports to neighboring countries like the Maldives are allowed under India's Neighborhood First policy.

The duration for importing essential commodities from India to the Maldives was extended in April at the request of the Maldivian government. The amount of imports allowed during the new duration has also been increased by five percent over the previous agreement.

Details of the goods permitted for imports by India:

- Eggs: 428 million

- Potatoes: 21,000 metric tons

- Onions: 36,000 metric tons

- Rice: 124,000 metric tons

- Flour: 109,000 metric tons

- Sugar: 64,000 metric tons

- Lentils: 224 metric tons

- Aggregate: One million metric tons

- Stone dust: One million metric tons

The previous administration applied for permission to import these products in 2021. India granted permission for three years, and the permit expired in March this year, prompting an extension for an additional year.

Under the agreement, even if India bans the export of some items, the Maldives will continue to receive these items at special prices without any difficulty.