India on Monday removed export restrictions on wheat and a range of wheat-based products, including atta and maida, reopening overseas shipments after nearly four years of controls introduced to protect domestic supplies and contain prices. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued two separate notifications on August 24, changing the export status of specified wheat varieties and wheat flour products from "prohibited" to "free" with immediate effect.
The decision marks a major reversal of the restrictive trade policy introduced in 2022 when soaring international prices, concerns over domestic availability and disruption to global grain supplies following the Russia-Ukraine conflict prompted the government to curb exports.
Wheat exports return to free category
Under DGFT Notification No. 35/2026-27, exports of durum wheat under ITC (HS) Code 10011900 and wheat under Code 10019910 have been shifted to the free category. A separate notification, No. 34/2026-27, removes restrictions on wheat or meslin flour and related products falling under ITC (HS) Code 11010000. The category includes atta, maida, semolina, also known as rava or suji, wholemeal atta and resultant atta. Exporters can now ship these products without the prohibition that had governed overseas sales.
The change takes effect immediately and significantly expands opportunities for Indian grain traders and flour millers to tap international markets. India had prohibited wheat exports in May 2022 as domestic prices climbed and concerns grew about maintaining adequate supplies for the country's large food security programme. Restrictions were subsequently extended to wheat flour and related products.
Some exemptions and limited shipments were permitted during the intervening period, particularly for countries facing food-security requirements and under government-approved arrangements.
Record harvest provides policy space
Improvement in domestic grain availability has provided the government greater room to relax the restrictions. India's wheat production for 2025-26 has been estimated at about 120.66 million tonnes, compared with 117.95 million tonnes in the previous year.
Overall foodgrain production has also reached a record level, strengthening domestic availability and reducing the supply concerns that had prompted the original restrictions.
The government had already begun cautiously reopening wheat exports earlier this year. In February, it permitted exports of 25 lakh tonnes of wheat along with additional quantities of wheat products as stocks improved.
Monday's notifications go considerably further by moving the specified categories entirely from the prohibited list to the free export regime.
Exporters regain access to global market
The relaxation could benefit farmers, traders, flour millers and food-processing companies by creating an additional market for Indian wheat and processed wheat products.
India is among the world's largest wheat producers but has traditionally accounted for a relatively modest share of international trade because most of its crop is consumed domestically.
The country's exports had risen sharply before the 2022 restrictions as disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war pushed global buyers towards alternative suppliers. That surge, coupled with domestic price pressures, eventually prompted New Delhi to intervene.
With exports now reopened, Indian suppliers could again compete for demand in markets across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, particularly for flour and other processed wheat products.
The decision could also help domestic producers benefit when international prices are attractive, although the government is likely to continue watching local wheat and flour prices closely.
The latest move signals that New Delhi is increasingly comfortable with the domestic supply situation after several years in which food security and inflation concerns dictated a cautious approach to wheat exports.