India has eased restrictions on wheat-based exports, permitting the shipment of up to 500,000 tonnes of wheat flour and related products, as domestic availability of the grain improves in the world’s second-largest wheat producer.
The move marks a calibrated relaxation of curbs imposed in May 2022, when New Delhi banned wheat exports following a severe heatwave that sharply reduced output and drove local prices to record highs.
Under the amended export policy, shipments of wheat or meslin flour—including atta, maida, semolina, wholemeal atta and resultant atta—will be allowed up to a cumulative ceiling of 500,000 tonnes. Exports will be permitted only against export authorisations issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and subject to conditions and procedures notified separately.
Despite the relaxation, these products will continue to remain in the “prohibited” category, with exports allowed as a special dispensation. The DGFT said the permitted volumes will be over and above existing policy conditions and will be closely monitored.
The easing of curbs was formally notified by the DGFT on Friday, 16 January, through an amendment to the export policy, followed by a detailed public notice outlining eligibility criteria, application processes and allocation mechanisms.
According to the DGFT, applications for export authorisation will be accepted online through its portal, with the first application window open from 21 January to 31 January 2026. Thereafter, applications will be invited during the last ten days of each month until the approved export quantity is fully utilised.
Each export authorisation will be valid for six months from the date of issuance, with any extension to be considered on a case-by-case basis by a special committee.
The decision signals a cautious policy shift by India, balancing export opportunities for millers with the need to safeguard domestic food security and price stability.