India bans direct, indirect imports from Pakistan

New Delhi: India has banned direct or indirect import of all goods from Pakistan with immediate effect, according to a notification of the commerce ministry.

A provision in this regard has been added in Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 “to prohibit direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan with immediate effect until further orders”, it said in the notification dated May 2.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in the notification said this restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy.

Any exception to this prohibition will require approval of Government of India.

Inserting the provision with head “prohibition on import from Pakistan” in the FTP, it said: “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 decision follows a terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed on April 22.

In the aftermath of attack, India and Pakistan cut major ties with each other including shutting borders, suspending visas and banning airspace. Additionally India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, while pakistan suspended The Simla Agreement.

(With inputs from PTI.)