India to waive curbs and allow food items to be shipped to Bhutan

New Delhi: India will allow around 103,600 tonnes of food items to be exported to Bhutan under a humanitarian operation, making an exception for its strategic partners amid export restrictions, two senior government officials said. This comes after possible signs of progress in long-running boundary talks between China and Bhutan grabbed India’s attention as Beijing stepped up efforts to establish diplomatic ties with the tiny Himalayan kingdom. In August, it exported 79,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice to Bhutan, followed by 1.98 million tonnes of the staple to nine other key Asian and African nations, including Singapore, Nepal, Malaysia and the Philippines upon request after India imposed a ban on exports of non-basmati white rice on 20 July. India will supply 14,184 tonnes of wheat grain, 5,326 tonnes of wheat flour, nearly 15,300 tonnes of maida, suji (semolina) and 48,804 tonnes of broken rice to Bhutan under humanitarian operations, one of the officials said. It will ...