India Bans Imports From Pakistan, Severs Shipping Ties

In another escalation of moves meant to isolate Pakistan, India has now formally banned imports of goods coming in from the neighbouring country in the interest of national security.

"Direct or indirect Import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders. This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy. Any exception to this prohibition shall require prior approval of the Government of India," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, which comes under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, said in a notification on Saturday.

Further, any ship bearing the flag of Pakistan shall not be allowed to visit any Indian port, and any Indian flag ship will not visit any ports of Pakistan, according to the Directorate General of Shipping, which comes under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

"This order is issued to ensure safety of Indian assets, cargo and connected infrastructure, in public interest and for interest of Indian shipping...This order shall come into force with immediate effect and remain in force till further order," a notification read.

"The move is mostly symbolic, as India had already imposed 200% tariffs after the 2019 Pulwama attack, reducing imports to just $0.42 million between April 2024 and January 2025," according to Ajay Srivastava, founder of think tank Global Trade Research Initiative.

"These imports were limited to niche items like figs ($78,000), basil and rosemary herbs ($18,856) and Himalayan pink salt. India doesn't depend on Pakistani goods, so the economic impact is minimal. However, Pakistan still needs Indian products and may continue accessing them through third countries through recoded and unrecorded routes," he added.

Though symbolic, these moves, combined with social media bans on various Pakistani news and entertainment outlets, signal heightened tensions at the border after the Pahalgam attacks.