Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA) which oversees basmati rice export from India along with rice exporters have adoped a wait and watch policy over the government's decision to widen the basmati umbrella.

The industry apprehends that any delay in the announcement of the definition of basmati rice would put paid to export of non-notified varieties.

India is also spearheading a joint move with Pakistan to register basmati as Geographical Indication (GI) sui generis to the sub-continent.