Key Points
- India has imposed an immediate ban on all direct and indirect imports from Pakistan, halting trade ties between the two countries.
- The ban, effective from May 2, 2025, was announced by the Ministry of Commerce and incorporated into the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023.
- The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) cited national security and public policy concerns, following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April .
- Any exceptions to the ban require explicit approval from the Government of India.
- The move is expected to impact Pakistan’s export sector, which relies on limited cross-border trade in items like cement, textiles, fruits, and chemicals.
New Delhi: In a decisive move following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has imposed a sweeping ban on all direct and indirect imports from Pakistan, effective immediately. The Ministry of Commerce issued a notification on May 2, 2025, amending the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 to include a new provision titled “Prohibition on Imports from Pakistan.” This provision halts the import or even transit of any goods originating in or exported from Pakistan “until further orders,” effectively freezing all formal trade between the two nations.
National Security at the Forefront
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) stated that the ban is imposed “in the interest of national security and public policy,” underscoring India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. The government’s notification makes clear that any exceptions to this ban will require explicit approval from New Delhi.
What Does the Ban Cover?
- Scope: The restriction applies to both direct and indirect imports, as well as goods merely transiting through India from Pakistan.
- Goods Affected: Although trade between the two countries has been minimal in recent years, India’s imports from Pakistan have included dry fruits, cement, rock salt, textiles, chemicals, and leather goods.
- Trade Figures: In 2024-25 (April-January), India’s exports to Pakistan stood at $447.65 million, while imports were a mere $0.42 million, reflecting already strained trade relations.
Context and Impact
This ban comes as part of a series of strong measures by India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, which Indian authorities have linked to groups operating from Pakistan. The move is expected to further strain diplomatic and economic ties, impacting Pakistan’s struggling export sector, particularly in cement, textiles, and agricultural products.
India had previously imposed a 200% duty on Pakistani imports after the 2019 Pulwama attack, and formal trade had already dwindled to negligible levels. The Wagah-Attari border, the main trade route, was already closed in response to the latest violence.
Retaliatory Measures and Regional Tensions
Pakistan has responded with its own countermeasures, including suspending border trade, closing its airspace to Indian flights, and expelling Indian diplomats. Both countries have exchanged warnings, and tensions remain high in the region.
India’s immediate and total ban on all imports from Pakistan marks a significant escalation in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. With national security cited as the primary reason, the move effectively ends what little trade remained between the two countries and signals a hardening of India’s stance on cross-border terrorism and economic engagement with its neighbor.
