Basmati (pronounced ['bɑːsmət̪iː]) is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which originates from the Indian subcontinent, mainly in the regions of Punjab, Haryana, Sindh and many other states/provinces of India and Pakistan.

The earliest mention of basmati rice was made in the epic Heer Ranjha composed by the Punjabi poet, Waris Shah in 1766.

Organisations such as Kheti Virasat Mission are trying to increase the amount of organic basmati rice that is being grown in the Punjab in India.

[14] India's total basmati production for the July 2011 – June 2012 crop year was five million tonnes.

[18] According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Pakistan's original basmati area lies in the Kalar bowl between the Ravi and Chenab rivers.

Indonesia produced its own local variant of basmati in West Java and Central Kalimantan, with production capacity estimated to reach up to 8.2 tonnes per hectare.

Unique Nepali varieties of basmati rice were barred from export to other parts of the world although this ban might be lifted.

[27][28][29] Basmati rice has a typical pandan-like (Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf) flavour caused by the aroma compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline.

[33] According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, basmati, brown, wild, short and long grain rice has a medium glycemic index (between 56 and 69), opposed to jasmine and instant white rice with a glycemic index of 89, thus making it more suitable for diabetics as compared to certain other grains and products made from white flour.

[36] The Dehradun Basmati has also been the source of other GMO varieties grown in present-day Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

The popcorn aroma is among some of the special properties basmati exhibits when grown under the agro-climatic conditions of the Himalayan region.

[24] This variant could be grown in low-altitude terrain and managed to attract interest among potential middle-to-upper class consumers.

[50] Based on this protocol, which was developed at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, the Indian company Lab India has released kits to detect basmati adulteration.

[52] A more limited varietal patent was granted to RiceTec in 2001 on claims dealing with three strains of the rice developed by the company.