India grants record high export approval of essential goods to Maldives for 2024-2025.

The Indian High Commission announced on Friday that India has authorized the export of significant quantities of essential goods to the Maldives throughout 2024 and 2025, in response to a request from the Maldivian government.

This decision comes under a longstanding bilateral agreement between the two nations, spanning over 40 years.

According to a statement released by the Indian High Commission, the approved export quantities for this period mark the highest ever since the inception of the agreement in 1981.

Notably, the quota for river sand and stone aggregates has been increased by 25 percent to reach 1,000,000 Metric Tonnes (MT).

Moreover, quotas for other essential items such as eggs, potatoes, onions, sugar, rice, wheat flour, and pulses (lentil) have seen a 5 percent increase.

The specifics of the approved export quantities for each item are as follows:

Eggs: 427,536,904 eggs

Potatoes: 21,513 MT

Onions: 35,749 MT

Rice: 124,218 MT

Wheat Flour: 109,162 MT

Sugar: 64,494 MT

Pulses (Lentil): 224 MT

River Sand: 1,000,000 MT

These exports to the Maldives will be exempted from any existing or future restrictions during the period of 2024 and 2025, as stated in a document shared by the High Commission, signed by the Director-General of Foreign Trade in the Indian Government.

Despite a ban on the export of these items from India to other countries, India has consistently allowed exports to the Maldives, including in 2023.

The statement from the Indian High Commission underscores India's commitment to supporting human-centric development in the Maldives as part of its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.