This move has been announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"India and Singapore enjoy a very close strategic partnership, characterized by shared interests, close economic ties and strong people-to-people connect. In view of this special relationship, India has decided to allow the export of rice to meet the food security requirements of Singapore,” said MEA official spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi in response to media queries.
“Formal orders in this regard will be issued shortly,” Bagchi said.
On August 27, India introduced additional safeguards on exports of basmati rice so as to prevent exports of non-basmati white rice, which is presently under the prohibited category
Recent reports indicate that there have been instances of misclassification and unauthorized export of non-basmati white rice. These reports prompted the government to take action.
It's worth mentioning that the export of non-basmati white rice was banned from July 20 onwards in an effort to stabilize domestic prices and ensure domestic food security. Despite restrictions on certain rice varieties, exports have remained high throughout the current year.
Effective from July 20, the central government revised the export norms, classifying non-basmati white rice (including semi-milled or fully milled rice, with or without polishing or glazing) as "prohibited" for export. This policy change was conveyed through a notification by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and is already in effect.