Biratnagar, May 25 -- In July 2017, India's then-president Pranab Mukherjee travelled to Darjeeling on the occasion of Bhanu Jayanti. Taking advantage of the visit, the Darjeeling Tea Association arranged a special meeting with the president and submitted a memorandum carrying a single demand: "Imports of Nepali tea must be stopped."

After receiving the memorandum, the president returned to New Delhi. Two years later, the same issue echoed in the West Bengal Assembly.

In 2019, former West Bengal legislator Shanta Chhetri argued in the assembly that Nepali tea was of "inferior quality" and its import should be halted immediately.

On April 10, 2024, Indian authorities effectively began implementing stricter controls. Citing concerns over...