All trade routes closed for Pakistan: India scrutinising imports from UAE, Iran & other Gulf countries to spot Pakistani goods
Crackdown against Pakistan goods: India is keeping a hawk’s eye and conducting thorough inspections of imports from the UAE, Iran and other Gulf nations, along with specific transshipment hubs to prevent indirect entry of Pakistani goods into the country through these channels.
Following the April 22 terrorist incident in Pahalgam that resulted in 26 killings, India enacted a complete ban on Pakistan goods, including those entering via third nations. Pakistan has also ceased all trade relations with India.
Officials have intensified verification of import labels and origin criteria for products from these nations. This follows India's previous concerns raised with the UAE regarding Pakistani dates being channelled into the country, which violated the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
An official told ET that imports via transshipment centres like the UAE and certain countries are under close watch for Pakistani products. The rules of origin serve as the standard for establishing a product's national source and corresponding duty benefits.
India's merchandise exports to the UAE reached $36.63 billion in FY25, whilst imports totalled $63.42 billion. During April-February of FY25, India's date imports amounted to $270.4 million, with the UAE contributing $123.82 million of this total.