India puts curbs on exports of testing kits with immediate effect

The government on Saturday put curbs on exports of diagnostic kits with a view to discourage shipments amid the coronavirus outbreak. "The export of diagnostic kits (diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing, preparation diagnostic or laboratory reagents)... is restricted with immediate effect," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

The move would help in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis as these kits are required for testing of patients.

Earlier, exports of these products were allowed without any restrictions. Putting them under the restricted category would mean that an exporter will now require a licence from the DGFT for outbound shipments.