By The Indian government has lifted its ban on the export of wheat and wheat flour with immediate effect.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, issued two separate notifications on Monday shifting wheat and its products from the ‘Prohibited’ export category to ‘Free’.
The decision covers not only raw wheat but also processed products including atta, maida and semolina, as well as the durum variety.
The move builds on a decision made in February to allow limited shipments of the grain, marking a further easing of the export curbs first imposed amid domestic supply concerns.
The change could ease pressure on global wheat supplies, which have remained under strain amid ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting major grain-exporting regions.
India’s wheat export policy has fluctuated in recent years as the government has balanced domestic price stability with pressure from farmers and traders to access lucrative overseas markets.
India had originally imposed the wheat export ban in 2022 citing domestic supply concerns after a heatwave affected output, a move that itself had a ripple effect on global grain markets at the time.
The government subsequently allowed limited exceptions, including exports to select countries under government-to-government agreements, before further easing curbs earlier this year.
Traders and exporters welcomed the latest notification, saying it would allow Indian wheat and flour products to compete more freely in international markets after years of restricted access.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said the decision was taken after reviewing domestic stock levels and production estimates for the current crop year.
India is among the world’s largest wheat producers, and its export policy shifts are closely watched by global grain traders given the scale of the country’s domestic market and production base.
The timing of the move, coming as global wheat supplies remain strained by geopolitical tensions affecting major exporting regions, could open fresh demand for Indian wheat and flour products in markets facing tighter availability elsewhere.
Photo by Tarquin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
