Foreign Arms of Indian Firms Trading Pakistani Basmati Rice
12-Aug-2025 04:00 PM
Mumbai. Analysis of global data available on import and export of agricultural products reveals that foreign branches of two-three Indian companies and some foreign business firms listed in India are importing rice from Pakistan and exporting it to Europe and other markets.
According to experts, some European firms that usually export Basmati rice from India have strategic alliances with the neighboring country Pakistan. Indian companies are listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
It is worth mentioning that after the terrorist attack, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had directed all Indian companies to stop all types of trade directly or indirectly with Pakistan. DGFT had said that no Indian company should buy any product from Pakistan nor send any goods there.
But even after this guideline issued on 2 May 2025, some Indian firms imported and exported 14,300 tonnes of Basmati rice along with other products from Pakistan.
According to trade analysts, there are two issues or aspects of the export shipment of Basmati rice from Pakistan to Europe and other markets.
The first issue is that when India is claiming that long grain aromatic Basmati rice is its own special product, then how can a firm ship it from Pakistan.
The second issue related to this incident is whether this action will not make it difficult for India to get the status of Geographical Indication (GI) for Basmati rice in Europe and other countries on a single basis.
According to the information received, one of the listed companies bought about 125 tonnes of Basmati rice from Al Bahab Rice of Pakistan between 3 May and 4 June and exported it to Holland, whereas India's DGFT had already banned it.
Apart from this, two companies run by Indians in Europe bought about 9000 tonnes of Basmati rice from Sarawar, Fatima, Supreme and Rana Rice Mills of Pakistan and exported it to Britain.
This shipment took place between May 6 and June 29. This should not have happened. This would be considered treason against the country.