"We have contracted the import of 2,000 tonnes of onions from China and 650 tonnes from Pakistan and the overall prices of the commodity will stabilise soon," said Alok Ranjan, a senior official of the National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).
The first consignment of 30 tonnes of onions from Pakistan came via the Wagah border on Saturday and fresh consignments are due in the coming days, importers said.
Prices of onions - which add the tang to Indian food - have soared in the past two weeks with consumers being asked to pay 30 rupees (60 cents) a kilogram (2.2 pounds) compared to eight rupees (17 cents) a kilogram a year ago.
"Also, high humidity conditions have led to spoilage in stored onions, thereby impacting the availability in the market," the statement said.
"With the increase in the consumer price of onions in some cities, the government has decided to import onions through NAFED to protect consumer interest," it added.