India's rice exports increased 5% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to sources cited in the report. The overall gain was supported by a rise in non-basmati rice shipments, which helped balance weakness in the basmati segment.
A key driver was stronger buying from African countries, where demand lifted non-basmati exports. That trend gave Indian suppliers a broader outlet for volumes even as other parts of the rice trade faced pressure.
Basmati exports, however, moved lower as trade flows with Gulf markets were disrupted. The report linked that slowdown to fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which affected regional trade conditions and weighed on shipments of the premium rice variety.
The result was a mixed export picture for India: solid growth in non-basmati rice and softer basmati sales. Even so, the increase in non-basmati volumes was enough to push total rice exports higher in January to June 2026.
