In a decisive move following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the Central government has imposed a complete ban on the import of goods from Pakistan, whether directly or through third countries, and has prohibited Pakistani ships from entering Indian ports.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce, an amendment to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) has been made, introducing a clause that bans &ldquo;direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan with immediate effect until further orders.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The ministry stated that the restriction was introduced in the interest of national security and public policy.
While direct imports from Pakistan have remained negligible, officials noted that some goods continued to enter India indirectly via other countries, including through ports in Dubai, Singapore and Colombo. In the financial year 2023-24, India imported approximately USD 3 million worth of goods from Pakistan, mainly agricultural products.
In a related development, the Directorate General of Shipping has announced that Pakistani-flagged vessels will no longer be permitted to dock at any Indian port. &ldquo;This order is issued to ensure the safety of Indian assets, cargo and connected infrastructure, in the public interest and for the interest of Indian shipping,&rdquo; the order stated.
These developments mark a further deterioration in trade ties between the two nations. Direct trade had already seen a steep decline since 2019, when India revoked Pakistan&rsquo;s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status following the Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of more than 40 Indian soldiers.
Trade through the Attari-Wagah land crossing &mdash; the only land border point for trade between the two countries &mdash; has now ceased entirely, as India formally shut down operations at the route.&nbsp;
In response, Pakistan has implemented a complete suspension of trade with India. During 2023-24, trade through the Attari-Wagah corridor was valued at Rs 3,886.53 crore.
India&rsquo;s latest measures are expected to have a significant economic impact on small-scale traders and manufacturing units in Pakistan, many of whom depend on trade with India.
Pakistan, which relies on India for several pharmaceutical supplies, has been left scrambling to identify alternative sources to meet domestic medical demands after the imposition of the trade halt.
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India shuts down all trade routes and port access to Pakistan in strong retaliation to Pahalgam terror attack

India Imposes Total Trade, Port Ban on Pakistan

India shuts down all trade routes and port access to Pakistan in strong retaliation to Pahalgam terror attack

May 3, 2025 | 14:29 IST