India has lifted the ban on the export of certain Nepali goods following the renewal of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for products such as cement, corrugated sheets, and plywood manufactured in Nepal.
Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, had raised the issue with his Indian counterpart, Piyush Goyal, during his visit to India. He had been actively working to facilitate the export of Nepali goods and their smooth distribution in Indian markets.
The matter was extensively discussed during the Nepal-India Commerce Secretary-level meeting on January 11 and 12, where Nepal strongly prioritized the issue. India had made BIS certification mandatory for exports of cement, corrugated sheets, sanitary pads, and footwear.
The export of cement from Nepal to India had been halted for five months, while plywood exports were disrupted for a month due to delays in renewing BIS certification. Nepali entrepreneurs had urged the government to resolve the issue, stressing its impact on trade.
Hom Prasad Ghimire, Chairperson of the Nepal Plywood Manufacturers Association, noted that obtaining BIS certification would make exports easier. Around a dozen industries have already renewed their certifications.
Thirty-four trucks carrying plywood from Nepal recently arrived at Kakarvitta but were stuck at a checkpoint due to a lack of BIS certification. With the certification now renewed, trade is expected to resume smoothly.
