New Delhi, May 17: India has imposed port restrictions on the import of specific goods from Bangladesh with immediate effect, limiting their entry through Land Customs Stations (LCSs) and Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) in Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and certain areas of West Bengal.
According to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the restricted items include readymade garments, processed food items, fruit-flavored and carbonated drinks, plastic and PVC finished goods, wooden furniture, and cotton waste, among others. These items can now only be imported via Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports and not through the northeastern land ports.
However, the restriction excludes items such as fish, LPG, edible oil, and crushed stone, which may continue to be imported via land borders.
The restrictions are detailed in Notification No. 07/2025-26, dated May 17, and have come into force immediately. The move follows India’s recent withdrawal of transshipment facilities for Bangladeshi exports (except for Nepal and Bhutan), a facility granted in 2020.
The decision comes in the wake of controversial remarks made by Bangladesh’s interim government head, Muhammad Yunus, during a business event in China. Yunus referred to Bangladesh as the “only guardian” of the Indian Ocean for the region and commented on the landlocked status of India’s northeastern states. His remarks triggered widespread criticism across Indian political circles.
The port restrictions are being seen as a response to both diplomatic tensions and longstanding concerns from Indian textile exporters who view Bangladesh as a major competitor. The India-Bangladesh trade volume stood at USD 12.9 billion in the 2023–24 fiscal year.
