Combining ability variances were estimated for grain yield per plant and its quality traits in aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) through line × tester analysis in 18 F1, s hybrids produced from the crosses between six high yielding genotypes ( IET 19695, IET 16310, IET 13846, IET 12016, IET 16320 and basmati 370 ) used as lines and three quality rice genotypes namely Pusa Sugandha-4, Pusa Sugandha-4 and Improved Pusa basmati-1 as testers. The variance due to lines, testers and line x tester were found significant for all the traits except, kernel breadth and kernel length breadth ratio. The estimates of GCA effects indicated that, among the lines, IET 12016, was found to be the best general combiner for grain yield per plant and milling percentage, IET 16320 for milling and head rice recovery (HRR) percentage , whereas, IET 13846 was found superior general combiner for grain quality traits only. Among the testers Pusa Sugandha-4 was the best general combiner for grain length and Pusa Sugandha-5 for grain breadth and grain length breadth ratio, whereas Improved Pusa basmati-1 for HRR (%). High specific combining ability (SCA) effects were observed in the crosses IET 19695 x Pusa Sugandha-5 for grain yield per plant, IET 16310 x Pusa Sugandha-4, IET 13846 x Pusa Sugandha-4 and IET 16320 x Pusa Sugandha-5 for grain length and grain length breadth ratio and they were found to be the best combiner for grain yield and grain quality traits.