Executive Summary:
This notification, issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, amends the export policy to allow the export of essential commodities to the Republic of Maldives during the fiscal year 2025-26, as per the bilateral trade agreement between India and Maldives. The notification specifies quantities for various commodities and outlines conditions for their export, including exemptions from restrictions and designated customs stations. It also includes specific requirements for the export of River Sand and Stone Aggregate.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Export Permissions:**
* Export of essential commodities, including Eggs, Potatoes, Onions, Rice, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Dal, Stone Aggregate, and River Sand, to the Republic of Maldives is permitted for FY 2025-26, up to specified quantities.
* **Exemptions:**
* Exports to the Republic of Maldives are exempt from existing or future restrictions/prohibitions during FY 2025-26.
* **Customs Stations:**
* Export of prohibited/restricted commodities to the Republic of Maldives is permitted only through six designated Customs Stations: Mundra Sea port, Tuticorin Sea Port, Nhava Sheva Sea Port, ICD Tughlakabad, Kandla Sea, and Visakhapatnam Sea.
* **River Sand and Stone Aggregate Requirements:**
* CAPEXIL must ensure suppliers/extractors have obtained environmental clearances and that mining is not conducted in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas.
* Export requires environmental clearances/No Objection Certificates from designated nodal authorities of respective State Governments.
* Subject to applicable State legislation or judicial orders related to mining.
Impact Analysis:
* **Exporters of Essential Commodities:**
* Impact: Exporters are permitted to export specified quantities of essential commodities to the Republic of Maldives without usual restrictions.
* Action Required: Adhere to specified quantities, export only through designated customs stations if commodities fall under prohibited/restricted categories, and for River Sand and Stone Aggregate, ensure environmental clearances and compliance with CRZ norms and State regulations.
* **CAPEXIL:**
* Impact: Responsible for ensuring that suppliers/extractors of River Sand and Stone Aggregate have the necessary environmental clearances and are not mining in CRZ areas.
* Action Required: Verify environmental compliance for River Sand and Stone Aggregate exports.
* **State Governments:**
* Impact: Nodal authorities are responsible for issuing environmental clearances/No Objection Certificates for the export of River Sand and Stone Aggregate. Mining of River Sand and Stone Aggregate is subject to applicable State legislation or judicial orders.
* Action Required: Ensure compliance with State legislation/judicial orders related to mining and issue environmental clearances/No Objection Certificates as appropriate.
* **Republic of Maldives:**
* Impact: Ensures supply of essential commodities.
* Action Required: No specific action mentioned.
Key Entities Referenced
Republic of Maldives: The country to which essential commodities are being exported under a bilateral trade agreement with the Government of India.
Foreign Trade Development Regulation Act, 1992: The Act that confers powers related to foreign trade regulation, which are being exercised in this notification.
Foreign Trade Policy FTP, 2023: The prevailing Foreign Trade Policy which this notification amends.
Central Government: The governing authority issuing the notification and amending the Export Policy.
Eggs: One of the essential commodities being allowed for export to the Republic of Maldives.
Potatoes: One of the essential commodities being allowed for export to the Republic of Maldives.
River Sand: One of the essential commodities being allowed for export to the Republic of Maldives, subject to environmental clearances and compliance with State regulations.
Stone Aggregate: One of the essential commodities being allowed for export to the Republic of Maldives, subject to environmental clearances and compliance with State regulations.
To be published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary Part !I Section 3, Sub Section (ii)
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Department of Commerce
Directorate General of Foreign Trade
Vanijya Bhawan
Notification No._1_/2025-26
New Delhi, 1* April, 2025
Subject: Supply of essential commodities to the Republic of Maldives during 2025-26 -
reg.
S.0.(E): In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3, read with Section 5 of the Foreign
Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, and paragraphs 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign
Trade Policy (FTP), 2023, as amended from time to time, the Central Government hereby
amends Section (L) of the ‘General Note to Export Policy’ as follows:
‘1. Export of essential commodities mentioned in Column (2) of the Table-1 below, to the
Republic of Maldives, during 2025-26 up to the quantities as mentioned in Column (4) of Table-
1 below, is allowed under bilateral trade agreement between Government of India and
Government of Maldives: -
Table-1
IS. No. Commodity Unit (Quantity allowed for FY 2025-26
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Eb Eggs Nos. 448,913,750
ii. Potatoes MT 22,589
ili. Onions MT 37,537
iv. Rice MT 130,429
v. Wheat Flour MT 114,621
vi. Sugar MT 67,719
vii. Dal MT 350
viii. Stone Aggregate MT 1,300,000
ix. River Sand MT 1,300,000
2. Export of the given commodities mentioned in Column (2) of Table-1 above, to the
Republic of Maldives shall be exempt from any existing or future restrictions/prohibitions
during FY 2025-26.
ko—3. Export of essential commodities, mentioned in Column (2) of Table-1 above, falling under
the prohibited/restricted category to the Republic of Maldives during 2025-26 shall be
permitted only through the following six Customs Stations: -
i, Mundra Sea port(INMUN1)
ii. | Tuticorin Sea Port (INTUT1)
ii. | Nhava Sheva Sea Port (INNSA1)
iv. ICD Tughlakabad (INTKD6)
v. Kandla Sea (INIXY1)
vi. Visakhapatnam Sea (INVTZ1)
4. For export of the above quantities of River Sand and Stone Aggregate, as mentioned in
Column (4) of Table-1 above, CAPEXIL shall ensure that suppliers/extractors have obtained
the required environmental clearances and that mining is not conducted in Coastal Regulation
Zone (CRZ) areas, as per the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification.
5. Additionally, export of River Sand and Stone Aggregate shall be permitted only upon
obtaining environmental clearances/No Objection Certificates from the designated nodal
authorities of the respective State Governments from which the material is sourced. This is
also subject to applicable State legislation or judicial orders relating to the mining of these
commodities.
Effect of this notification: Export of Eggs, Potatoes, Onions, Rice, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Dal,
Stone Aggregate, and River Sand to the Republic of Maldives has been permitted under the
bilateral trade agreement between the Governments of India and Maldives for the FY 2025-
26, as per the specified quantities. These exports shall remain exempt from any existing or
future restrictions or prohibitions during this period. Further, export of items classified under
the prohibited or restricted category shall be allowed only through the six designated Customs
ports. In the case of River Sand and Stone Aggregate, exports will also be subject to
environmental clearances, CRZ norms and compliance with relevant State regulations.
& (4: 22 Y2
3
(Santosh Kumar Sarangi)
Director General of Foreign Trade
Ex-officio Additional Secretary to the Government of India
E-mail: dgft@nic.in
(Issued from F. No. 01/91/171/59/AM20/EC/E-20816)