After Import Ban, India Bars Pakistani Ships From All Ports With Immediate Effect

The restrictions have been imposed with immediate effect under Section 411 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, in order to safeguard Indian assets, cargo, and port infrastructure.

Pakistani ships have been banned from visiting any port in India with immediate effect.

Source : Adani Ports

India on Saturday banned all ships bearing a Pakistani flag from visiting any port in the country. The Indian-flagged vessels have also been prohibited from visiting ports in Pakistan.

The restrictions have been imposed with immediate effect under Section 411 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, in order to safeguard Indian assets, cargo, and port infrastructure.

"The objective of the Act is to foster the development and ensure the efficient maintenance of an Indian mercantile marine, in a manner best suited to serve national interests," the order issued by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, anf Waterways noted.

The order will remain in force until further notice and has been issued in the India's maritime interests as part of its efforts to bolster national security. 

"A ship bearing the flag of Pakistan shall not be allowed to visit any Indian port, and an Indian-flagged ship shall not visit any ports of Pakistan," the order read. It also added that any exemption from the order will be “examined and decided on a case-to-case basis."

Section 411 empowers the Director General of Shipping and government of India to issue directions to ships for meeting the objective of national interest or the interest of Indian shipping. 

The decision taken by India comes after a raft f measures announced in response to Pakistan's support for cross-border terrorism, particularly following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed 26 lives.

Some of these measures include suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Integrated Check Post at Attari, and reducing High Commissions staffing.

India Bans Direct, Indirect Imports From Pakistan

Earlier, India imposed an immediate ban on the direct and indirect import of all goods from Pakistan in the interest of national security and public policy, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce.

With this decision, all inbound shipments of goods from Pakistan to India will be halted completely.  

A provision has been added to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 “to prohibit direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan with immediate effect until further orders," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification dated May 2.

"Direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders," the order, with an insertion of the provision under the heading Prohibition on Import from Pakistan in the FTP, noted.

The only trade route between India and Pakistan, Wagah-Attari crossing, was also closed following the Pahalgam terror attack.