Basmati battle: Pakistan fights Indian bid for EU recognition of rice

Delhi seeking geographical indication status for its basmati rice, angering Islamabad

A new ingredient has been added to the boiling pot that is the relationship between India and Pakistan: basmati rice. Pakistan's government has vowed to vehemently" oppose an application by India for the long-grain aromatic rice to be recognised by the EU as being grown exclusively in specific regions of the Indian subcontinent.

Since 2006, the EU has applied zero tariffs on rice imported into the bloc's member states that has been authenticated by either Pakistani or Indian authorities as being truly basmati. Around two-thirds of basmati imports to the EU are from India and the rest from its northern neighbour.