India has completely lifted its long-standing restrictions on exports of wheat, including durum wheat, flour and other processed wheat products, Bloomberg reports. The government first introduced the ban in 2022 amid elevated global prices, heatwave-related production risks and domestic food-security concerns. Restrictions were partially eased in February 2026, allowing limited exports, but have now been removed.
The decision follows several strong harvests and a record 2026 wheat crop estimated at 120.6 million tonnes. The USDA expects India’s ending stocks in the 2026/27 marketing year to also reach a record level, creating scope for larger shipments.
For traders, the policy change potentially adds a major origin to supplies available for Asian, African and Middle Eastern buyers, particularly while Black Sea export flows remain constrained by attacks affecting ports and merchant shipping. However, high domestic wheat prices could limit India’s competitiveness in international tenders. The scale and timing of actual exports will therefore be critical in determining whether the decision materially changes global trade flows or pricing pressure on Black Sea and European-origin wheat.