Pahalgam massacre: India retaliates with stricter measures

India has imposed an immediate ban on the direct or indirect import of all goods from Pakistan as part of moves to intensify pressure on its neighbour following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack carried out by proxies of Islamabad. The decision, taken in the interest of national security, was announced through a government order and confirmed by official sources.

This move will bring a complete halt to all inbound shipments from Pakistan. During the April–January period of the 2024–25 financial year, India exported goods worth $447.65 million to Pakistan, while imports stood at a negligible $0.42 million.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in a notification, stated that a provision has been added to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 to prohibit the “direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan with immediate effect until further orders.” The restriction is imposed on grounds of national security and public policy. Any exception will require explicit approval from the Government of India.

The provision has been inserted under the heading “Prohibition on Import from Pakistan” in the FTP, which reads: “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.”

Main imports from Pakistan between April and January included fruits and nuts ($0.08 million), certain oilseeds and medicinal plants ($0.26 million), and organic chemicals.

The import ban follows a broader series of retaliatory measures. India has already shut down the Attari land-transit post—used for specific categories of goods—and announced the expulsion of Pakistani military attachés. It has also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.

As a result, bilateral trade between the two countries has effectively come to a complete standstill. Trade had already been minimal following restrictions imposed after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019.

Additionally, India had banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels and barred all Pakistani commercial and military aircraft from using Indian airspace until 23 May.

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