India Enacts Import Ban for Selective Jute Items through Land Borders from Bangladesh; Learn More About the Restrictions
India has recently announced a ban on the import of specific jute products and ropes from Bangladesh through land ports along their shared border. The restricted items include bleached and unbleached woven fabrics of jute or other bast fibres, twine, cordage, rope and cables of jute, and jute sacks and bags.
The ban, which took effect immediately, disrupts the easy cross-border trade routes as about 99% of Bangladesh’s exports of these products to India used to come via land. The ban applies to all land routes in India, as per the DGFT notification, which states that "imports from Bangladesh shall not be allowed from any land port on the India-Bangladesh border".
The ban does not apply to sea-based imports of jute products and ropes from Bangladesh to India. The new regulation is a move to regulate foreign trade and is in line with the responsibilities of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the governing body responsible for regulating foreign trade in India.
The reasons for the restriction were not explicitly stated in the notifications, but such measures are generally understood to relate to quality control, protecting domestic industries from import competition, or managing trade balance concerns. The Indian Jute Mills Association has welcomed the restrictions on finished jute products, viewing them as needed safeguards, while urging that raw jute materials remain unrestricted to avoid scarcity.
This escalation follows prior similar restrictions imposed earlier in 2025 and is part of broader trade tension measures between India and Bangladesh. The new regulation stresses sea route logistics as the main channel for importing these goods from Bangladesh. The only permitted import route is now through the Nhava Sheva seaport in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
| Aspect | Details | |-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Products banned via land | Jute-based woven fabrics (bleached & unbleached), twine, cordage, rope, cables, sacks & bags | | Previous import route | Mainly land ports on India-Bangladesh border | | New permitted import route | Only through Nhava Sheva seaport, Mumbai | | Effective date | Immediate (August 2025) | | Reasons | Not explicitly given; likely quality, trade balance, and domestic industry protection motives | | Impact | Disrupts easy cross-border trade routes; stresses sea route logistics |
- The ban on certain jute products and ropes from Bangladesh through land ports in India has led to a shift in the import routes, as the new regulations now permit imports only through the Nhava Sheva seaport in Mumbai, indicating a focus on sea-based finance and logistics.
- The Indian Jute Mills Association supports the restrictions on finished jute products via land, viewing them as necessary industry safeguards, while expressing concern over potential raw jute material scarcity.
