India has lifted restrictions on the export of certain Nepali goods after renewing the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for products such as cement, corrugated sheets, and plywood manufactured in Nepal.
During his visit to India a few months ago, Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Damodar Bhandari discussed the issue with his Indian counterpart, Piyush Goyal. Bhandari pushed for the facilitation of Nepali goods' export to India and their distribution in Indian markets.
The Nepal-India Commerce Secretary-level meeting on January 11-12 also extensively discussed the matter. Nepal strongly prioritized the issue, prompting India to commit to resolving the problem. India has made BIS certification mandatory for exporting goods such as cement, corrugated sheets, sanitary pads, and footwear.
Nepali cement exports to India had been halted for five months, while plywood exports had stopped a month ago due to India's delay in BIS renewal. Entrepreneurs had urged the Government of Nepal to address the certification issue.
Hom Prasad Ghimire, chairperson of the Nepal Plywood Manufacturers Association, said exports would now be easier with BIS certification. He added that about a dozen industries have already renewed their BIS certificates.
A few days ago, 34 trucks carrying plywood from Nepal reached Kakarbhitta but remained stuck at the checkpoint due to a lack of BIS certification, Ghimire said. -- RSS
