New Delhi: On Saturday, India implemented new measures aimed at completely isolating Pakistan by introducing strict economic sanctions. These include a ban on all imports from Pakistan, a prohibition on Pakistan-flagged ships docking at Indian ports, and a halt to the exchange of mail and parcels via land and air routes.
These actions, taken by three separate agencies—the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), and the Department of Posts—represent the latest efforts by New Delhi to respond to Pakistan’s ongoing support for terrorism, particularly in light of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
The government has justified these measures on the grounds of national security and national interest, coinciding with India’s attempts to undermine Pakistan’s position in international forums to foster a global consensus against Islamabad. A notification issued by the DGFT on May 2 stated, ‘The direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, regardless of their importability status, is hereby prohibited with immediate effect until further notice. This restriction is enacted in the interest of national security and public policy.’
In a separate directive issued on Saturday, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), which operates under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, announced that all vessels registered under the flag of Pakistan are prohibited from entering any Indian port. Additionally, it has barred Indian-flagged ships from accessing any ports in Pakistan. This directive aims to safeguard Indian assets, cargo, and related infrastructure, serving the public interest and the interests of Indian shipping.
Any requests for exemptions from this directive will be evaluated and decided on a case-by-case basis, with immediate enforcement of the order. Union Minister for Communications and the Development of the Northeastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, also shared a notification from the Department of Posts, which falls under the Ministry of Communications, indicating that the government has resolved to suspend the exchange of all types of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan via air and surface routes.
New Delhi has previously implemented a series of measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the closure of its airspace to Pakistani aircraft, the expulsion of the majority of Pakistani nationals, and the shutdown of the only operational land border crossing at Attari. Furthermore, it has requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reassess loans to the neighboring country, according to informed sources.
In response, Pakistan has introduced several countermeasures, such as closing its airspace to Indian airlines and halting all trade, while also offering to engage in an independent investigation of the attack—a proposal that New Delhi considers futile due to Pakistan’s historical inaction in terrorism investigations.
Experts indicated that the prohibition on the import and transit of goods originating from Pakistan conveyed a significant message, despite the fact that India’s imports from Pakistan are minimal. An official, who requested anonymity, stated, ‘Our imports from Pakistan are nearly non-existent, while Pakistan has imported Indian goods valued at approximately $500 million during the first nine months of the fiscal year 2024-25.’ Twenty-six people, 25 of them tourists and 24, Hindu were killed in the attack that was reminiscent of the heyday of terrorism in the 1990s and 2000s and the worst to rock the country since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially took responsibility for the attack. Subsequently, New Delhi has identified three Pakistani terrorists and traced their digital activities to emphasize Islamabad’s involvement in the incident.
