NEW DELHI, Sept. 24 -- India, the world's leading rice exporter, is poised to ship a record amount of grain this season despite severe flooding that damaged crops in the key farming state of Punjab.

The International Grains Council (IGC) has forecast that India will export a record 23.4 million tonnes of rice during the 2025-26 season, a 2% increase from the previous season. This surge will be fuelled by strong demand from African nations and a recent rebound in shipments to markets in Pacific Asia like the Philippines and Malaysia. According to the IGC, India will account for more than a third of the global rice trade, which is forecast to reach a record 59.9 million tonnes.

India exported 19.86 million tonnes of rice in FY25, surpassi...