India's paper imports have surged by 43% in the first half of FY24, following a 25% increase in the previous fiscal year. The growth is primarily driven by a remarkable 257% rise in imports from Asean nations, which benefit from zero import duty under the Asean-India free trade agreement. In H1 FY24, imports of paper and paperboard reached 959 thousand tonnes, compared to 672 thousand tonnes in H1 FY23. The value of paper and paperboard imports also rose by 10% during this period, amounting to Rs 6,481 crore.