DGFT authorizes supply of 448.9 million eggs, 230,429 MT rice, and over 2.6 million MT of construction inputs, exempting these essential commodities from restrictions to reinforce bilateral trade and regional resilience

The Government of India, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has issued Notification No. 01/2026-27 permitting the export of essential commodities to the Republic of Maldives during the financial year 2026-27 under the bilateral trade agreement between the two nations.

In accordance with the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, the Central Government has authorized the supply of 448,913,750 eggs, 22,589 metric tonnes of potatoes, 37,537 metric tonnes of onions, 230,429 metric tonnes of rice, 114,621 metric tonnes of wheat flour, 67,719 metric tonnes of sugar, 350 metric tonnes of dal, 1,300,000 metric tonnes of stone aggregate, and 1,300,000 metric tonnes of river sand to the Maldives during the current fiscal year. These exports shall remain exempt from any existing or future restrictions or prohibitions during this period.

Exports falling under the prohibited or restricted category will be permitted only through six designated customs stations, namely Mundra Sea Port, Tuticorin Sea Port, Nhava Sheva Sea Port, ICD Tughlakabad, Kandla Sea Port, and Visakhapatnam Sea Port, thereby ensuring transparency and compliance. For river sand and stone aggregate, CAPEXIL will oversee that suppliers and extractors obtain the required environmental clearances, with mining strictly prohibited in Coastal Regulation Zone areas, and further subject to No Objection Certificates from designated state authorities in line with applicable legislation and judicial orders.

Additionally, the export of eggs shall be subject to the condition that each consignment is accompanied by a valid Export Health Certificate issued by the Export Inspection Council, conforming to Codex Guidelines (CXG 38-2001), as required by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority.

This notification underscores India’s commitment to supporting the food security and infrastructure development needs of the Maldives while embedding sustainability, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance into the framework of bilateral trade. By ensuring calibrated supply of essential commodities and construction inputs, India reaffirms its role as a reliable partner in the Indian Ocean Region and strengthens the strategic economic partnership between the two countries.