The Government of India officially permits the import of fresh durian from Vietnam. Notably, this commodity is not required to satisfy special import conditions, opening an additional output market of over 1.4 billion people for Vietnam's durian industry.

According to information from the Embassy of India in Hanoi, the Government of India issued the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order (Fifth Amendment) 2026, under Notification No. S.O. 3828(E).

Under the new regulations, Vietnam is added to the list of countries permitted to export fresh durian for consumption into the Indian market.

Notably, the Indian side does not require additional plant quarantine declarations on Phytosanitary Certificates, while simultaneously not setting forth special import conditions for Vietnamese fresh durian.

The official opening of the market is the result of exchange processes and technical coordination between the plant protection agencies of both countries, opening additional export room for one of Vietnam's core agricultural commodities.

India is evaluated as a market rich in potential thanks to a large population scale, an expanding middle class, and increasing demand for quality imported agricultural products and food.

Fresh durian being officially permitted for export into India also carries significance in the context where Vietnam is accelerating market diversification to diminish reliance on a number of traditional markets.

In 2025, Vietnam's durian exports reached approximately 3.86 billion USD, occupying over 45% of fruit and vegetable export turnover. This year, this commodity sector sets a target heading toward the 4.5 billion USD mark.

However, India remains a new market for Vietnamese durian. In the initial phase, products are forecasted to primarily reach consumers in major urban areas via high-end retail systems, imported fruit stores, restaurants, hotels, and e-commerce.

Therefore, enterprises need to thoroughly study tastes, purchasing power, product specifications, as well as transport costs and distribution systems prior to expanding exports.

The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment stated it will continue coordinating with the Indian side alongside units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnamese representative agencies in India, localities, and industry associations to guide enterprises in deploying exports and resolving arising obstacles.

Opening an additional market is expected to generate new growth room for Vietnamese durian. However, the capability to turn the market of over 1.4 billion people into a stable output will depend on product quality, preservation capacity, logistics, distribution systems, and the brand-building capacity of Vietnamese enterprises.

Source: Bao Tien Phong