India OKs highest-ever export quotas for essential goods to Maldives

India has increased the export quotas for essential commodities to the Maldives for the coming year – marking the highest quotas approved under a unique bilateral mechanism set up between the two neighboring countries back in 1981.

The Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced the approval of supplies of essential commodities to the Maldives for the year 2025-2026 on Tuesday.

Export quotas approved for 2025-2026:

• Eggs: 448,913,750
• Potatoes: 22,589 metric tons
• Onions: 37,537 metric tons
• Rice: 130,429 metric tons
• Wheat flour: 114,621 metric tons
• Sugar: 67,719 metric tons
• Dal: 350 metric tons
• Stone aggregate: 1,300,000 metric tons
• River sand: 300,000 metric tons

In a statement on Wednesday, the Indian High Commission in Maldives said that the approved quantities are the highest since the bilateral trade agreement between Male’ and New Delhi came into effect in 1981.

The biggest increase is in the export quota for dal, which was raised by 56 percent. The quotas for stone aggregate and river sand – crucial items for Maldives’ booming construction industry – was increased by 30 percent. Meanwhile, quotas for essential food items such as eggs, potatoes, onions, sugar, rice and wheat flour were increased by five percent.

In the statement, the Indian High Commission noted that in previous years, they had continued export of rice, sugar and onions to the Maldives despite a worldwide ban on export of the commodities from India.

“India remains strongly committed to supporting humancentric development in the Maldives, as part of its ‘Neighborhood First’ policy,” the Indian High Commission added in the statement.

Under the agreement between Maldives and India, the export of the commodities will be exempt from any existing or future restrictions or prohibitions during the period.

Relations between Maldives and India had been strained in the early days of Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s presidency after he adopted a foreign policy that tilted away from the country’s traditional ally.

But relations were later mended, as officials from both Male’ and Delhi repeatedly expressed keenness to maintaining relations and engaged in several high-level visits.