Investigation Launched into Diverted Indian Sugar Shipment Meant for Maldives

An investigation is underway regarding a sugar shipment from India that was intended for the Maldives but ended up in Sri Lanka. The shipment, consisting of 64,000 tons of sugar, was sent out from India on October 25 under special concessions for the Maldives. However, a portion of the sugar was redirected to Sri Lanka, prompting concerns and scrutiny from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the authority responsible for overseeing exports and imports under India’s Trade Ministry.

Reports indicate that sugar exports to the Maldives have been temporarily halted while Sri Lanka has suspended clearance for sugar from India and initiated its own investigation. Indian media sources are working to identify Sri Lankan companies involved in acquiring sugar intended for the Maldives, with 80 containers of sugar already transported to Sri Lanka as of October. In a particular instance, a bill of landing from September 30 revealed that a consignment of 270 tons of sugar from India was destined for Colombo, Sri Lanka, with a price of $580 per tonne.

Furthermore, discrepancies have been uncovered in invoices related to the sugar shipments, with some businesses claiming that consignments were redirected to Colombo after invoice details were altered. Strict export regulations dictate that goods must be shipped to the exact destination specified in export documentation and customs forms, and changes can only be made after Customs release the items. Additionally, it was found that some sugar shipments from India also made a stop at Malaysia’s Port Klang, further complicating the investigation into the diverted sugar shipments.

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