New Delhi: The Indian government has categorically ruled out the possibility of importing sugar from Pakistan to address rising domestic retail prices, reaffirming its existing trade restrictions and stating that alternative global markets are available to meet national requirements.
Addressing media queries regarding reports that Pakistani sugar producers are keen to sell to India, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that New Delhi’s policy regarding trade with Pakistan remains clear and unchanged.
The clarification follows India’s recent decision to permit the duty-free import of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar to augment domestic supplies and cool spiralling retail rates ahead of the festive season. Following this policy move, Pakistan’s sugar industry had urged its government to explore export avenues to India, especially after Islamabad issued a global tender to offload approximately 1.05 lakh tonnes of surplus sugar.
However, senior government sources confirmed that the Centre has no intention of relaxing the comprehensive direct and indirect import bans imposed on Pakistani goods following the May 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. “If India requires supplementary sugar to stabilise domestic stocks, ample options exist across global suppliers. There is no requirement or plan to source sugar from Pakistan,” an official familiar with the development noted.
India remains one of the world’s largest sugar producers and consumers. However, periodic supply deficits occur due to seasonal cane yield fluctuations, mill output variations, and the strategic diversion of sugarcane juice toward ethanol blending.
While the duty-free import window provides domestic refiners and traders the flexibility to procure raw sugar from alternative international markets, the government has maintained a firm stance that the trade barrier with Pakistan will not be compromised for commodity procurement.
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