India to export rice to Singapore despite curbs, says External Affairs Ministry

India will allow export of rice to Singapore despite restrictions on export of the product, citing the special relationship between India and Singapore as the reason for this exemption

India will allow export of rice to Singapore despite restrictions on export of the product. The announcement from the Ministry of External Affairs came on Tuesday as the authorities cited the special relationship between India and Singapore as the reason for this exemption. India had imposed restrictions on export of non-Basmati rice but subsequently, curbs were imposed on Basmati rice as well.

“India and Singapore enjoy a very close strategic partnership, characterised by shared interests, close economic ties and strong people-to-people connect. In view of this special relationship, India has decided to allow export of rice to meet the food security requirements of Singapore,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. The announcement came more than a month after India imposed the curbs on July 20 which were further strengthened on August 27.

Also read | Basmati rice exporters express ‘shock’ over curbs, demand urgent solution 

According to the latest order, “additional safeguards” were introduced to prevent export of non-Basmati rice. The step was necessary as authorities detected that “illegal export of non-Basmati” was taking place in which Basmati variety was being sent out of the country. India’s continued curb on rice exports has hit several countries in the West, Africa and in the extended neighbourhood. According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), cited in a report of Channel News Asia, non-Basmati rice from India constitutes 17% of the total rice import of Singapore. The Indian ban had prompted close consultation between the two sides. 

Channel News Asia had earlier informed that Singapore had been in “close contact” with India to deal with the emerging food situation. The global food market has been hit hard by the Russian military campaign against Ukraine which used to be a major agricultural supplier to the developing world and Europe. India’s decision has come as an additional jolt to the already fragile commodities market. The Government of India has however declared that the hard measures were adopted to “check the domestic prices and to ensure domestic food security.”