Why Pakistan needs to get India to say yes on trade
- Mihir Sharma
- Bloomberg Mar 29, 2024, 14:03 IST IST
Resuming business with its larger, fast-growing neighbour clearly makes sense for Pakistan, but Indian companies will require some convincing
Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar [who has earlier served as finance minister] raised more than a few eyebrows last week when he said — almost as an aside — that his country’s new government would “seriously look into matters of trade with India”.
A resumption of trade would be something of a climbdown for Pakistan, which cut off economic ties when Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdrew Kashmir’s special constitutional status in 2019. Until now, Pakistani leaders have insisted they wouldn’t restore relations until the decision was reversed.
A resumption of trade would be something of a climbdown for Pakistan, which cut off economic ties when Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdrew Kashmir’s special constitutional status in 2019. Until now, Pakistani leaders have insisted they wouldn’t restore relations until the decision was reversed.