India has extended the deadline for allowing duty-free imports of 1 million metric tons of raw sugar to December 31 from October 31, an official notification showed on Thursday, giving importers more time to bring in the commodity to the world's biggest sugar-consuming country.
This announcement came ahead festive seasons that include Diwali and Christmas.
According to a finance ministry notification, the import window has been extended to December 31, 2026.
On August 20, the government allowed imports of 1 million tonnes of raw sugar until October 31.
So far, around 2.6 lakh tonnes has been imported, according to industry data.
Industry sources said imports have remained subdued due to a lack of price parity. The extension is aimed at securing supplies whenever international prices ease enough to make imports viable.
Besides allowing imports, the government has taken a series of measures like imposing stockholding limits on traders to ensure adequate domestic supplies and keep prices in check amid tight availability.
Sugar production for the 2025-26 marketing year (October-September) is now estimated at 306 lakh tonnes, down from an earlier forecast of 343 lakh tonnes. Annual domestic demand is pegged at 280-285 lakh tonnes.
