India has facilitated the export of nine essential commodities to the Maldives without interruption.
The Indian government said it had facilitated the export of 7460 metric tonnes of sugar and 12,722 metric tonnes of flour under a bilateral agreement for the supply of wheat, sugar, flour, onion, rice, garlic, and dhal, as well as rock and gravel.
In May and June, India suspended exports of sugar and flour to control prices amid the global economic slowdown. However, based on the close relationship with the Maldives and under the special permit issued by India for a continuous supply of staple foods to the Maldives, the State Trading Organization (STO) has been given the necessary export permits to import the said quantity within the next three to six months.
The arrangement is under the special quota allocated under the trade agreement between India and the Maldives to ensure the smooth supply of essential commodities to the Maldives. In July 2021, India extended the export quota for the nine products and renewed the permit until 2024. Any changes to India's export regulations currently in the future will not affect the agreement between both countries.
India has always provided full cooperation to ensure food security in the Maldives. Thus, the provision of a secure quota attests to the close relationship between both countries.
