India has stopped Bangladesh from using Indian land ports to send ready-made garments into India. A recent government order says this rule starts immediately.
This means certain products from Bangladesh cannot enter India through land ports in the states of Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
An official explained that Bangladesh recently restricted Indian yarn imports through land ports and only allowed yarn to come by sea. To respond fairly, India has now decided to restrict ready-made garment imports from Bangladesh via land ports. These goods will only be allowed through sea ports like Kolkata and Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), where their shipments will be carefully checked.
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Earlier, on April 13, Bangladesh stopped Indian yarn exports through land ports. Then, from April 15, Bangladesh also stopped Indian rice imports through certain land ports in West Bengal.
What Items Are Restricted?
India’s order says the following items from Bangladesh will be restricted at land ports in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram:
Ready-made garments, Plastic and wooden furniture, Juices and soft drinks, Bakery products and sweets, Cotton yarn and dyes
This list may be updated later. These restrictions will also apply at some land ports in northern West Bengal.
The Indian government said Bangladesh has been selective and unfair on trade rules. About 93% of Bangladesh’s garment exports to India usually come through land ports.
Officials have discussed this carefully and have informed the leaders of the northeastern states and West Bengal. These restrictions aim to help local industries in those Indian states.
Background
Between 2009 and 2024, both countries worked to improve land ports to increase trade. In late 2024, they even talked about keeping some ports open 24 hours a day.
However, recent political moves by Bangladesh’s interim government, like banning the Awami League party, have created tension. The Indian government says these new trade restrictions also send a message to Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
Mr. Yunus recently said in China that India’s northeastern states are “landlocked” without ocean access, and Bangladesh is the “guardian of the ocean” in the region. He encouraged Chinese companies to use Bangladesh to reach northeastern India.
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This comment was criticized by leaders like Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Mr. Yunus also shared his vision of regional growth involving northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh during a meeting in Nepal.
