New Delhi: India has agreed to exempt Singapore from the ban on rice exports in view of the “very close strategic partnership” between the two countries, the Union Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.On Wednesday it said it has permitted exports of 1.43 lakh tonnes of non-basmati white rice to Bhutan, Mauritius, and Singapore, adding two more countries to the exemption list. Reports say the break down, according to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is 79,000 tonnes of to Bhutan, 14,000 tonnes to Mauritius and 50,000 tonnes to Singapore.In July, India had banned the export of non-basmati rice to try and curb rising prices. Since then, Singapore had claimed to be in “close contact” with India to seek an exemption from the ban.A month later, India officially declared its decision to permit rice exports to Singapore. “India and Singapore enjoy a very close strategic partnership, characterised by shared interests, close economic ties and strong people to people connect,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a late-night statement.Due to this “special relationship”, Bagchi stated, “India has decided to allow export of rice to meet the food security requirements of Singapore”.He noted that formal orders will be issued shortly.Reports have said that over 40 nations depend on India for over half of their rice imports, and certain African and South Asian countries procure over 80% of their rice imports from India.This is first such exemption to the rice export ban announced by the MEA.Singapore stands as one of India’s closest allies in the Southeast Asian region, boasting trade ties exceeding $30 billion.At the same time, Singapore also maintains robust ties with China, which is the city-state’s largest investor and trade partner.The Southeast Asian nation, home to a significant Indian diaspora, primarily of Tamil origin, sourced 40% of its rice needs from India in 2022.Moreover, non-basmati rice from India makes up about 17% of Singapore’s imported rice, the Singapore Food Agency said as per media reports.Following the Indian ban, Singapore had been in talks with other countries to buy rice. During his visit to Singapore, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe was also approached about the possibility of rice procurement from the island nation, which continues to grapple with economic challenges.After the ban on private wheat exports last year, several nations had sought exemptions, with Egypt being among those granted the exemption. However, there was no public announcement made by the Ministry of External Affairs then.Note: This copy, originally published on August 30 at 8.27 am, has been republished at the same time a day later, on August 31, with details on exemptions to Bhutan and Mauritius.
