The Government of India, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has issued Notification No. 01/2026-27 dated April 01, 2026, facilitating the export of essential commodities to the Republic of Maldives for the financial year 2026–27 under the bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.
As per the notification, issued under the provisions of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, the Central Government has amended relevant provisions of the export policy to permit export of specified essential commodities up to predefined quantities.
According to the table provided on page 1 of the notification, the Government has approved export quotas for key commodities including eggs, potatoes, onions, rice, wheat flour, sugar, dal, stone aggregate, and river sand. The permitted quantities include 448.9 million eggs, 230,429 MT of rice, 114,621 MT of wheat flour, 67,719 MT of sugar, and 1.3 million MT each of stone aggregate and river sand, among others.
The notification further clarifies that exports of these commodities to Maldives during FY 2026–27 shall be exempt from any existing or future export restrictions or prohibitions, thereby ensuring uninterrupted supply under the bilateral framework.
However, exports of items that fall under the “prohibited” or “restricted” category have been regulated through designated channels. As specified on page 2 of the notification, such exports shall be permitted only through six notified Customs stations, namely Mundra, Tuticorin, Nhava Sheva, ICD Tughlakabad, Kandla, and Visakhapatnam ports, ensuring streamlined monitoring and compliance.
Special provisions have also been introduced for environmentally sensitive commodities. Export of river sand and stone aggregate shall be subject to strict compliance requirements, including obtaining environmental clearances and ensuring that mining activities do not take place in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas. CAPEXIL has been entrusted with oversight to ensure adherence to these conditions, along with compliance with applicable state regulations.
Additionally, export of eggs will require each consignment to be accompanied by a valid Export Health Certificate issued by the Export Inspection Council (EIC), conforming to Codex standards and requirements of the Maldives Food and Drug Authority.
The notification emphasizes that these measures are aimed at strengthening India–Maldives trade relations, ensuring supply of essential commodities, and maintaining regulatory oversight, while facilitating ease of exports under a structured bilateral arrangement.
The Notification can be accessed at: https://a2ztaxcorp.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Notification-01-dt-01-04-2026.pdf
