Improving relations: India prioritises trade with SAARC states: envoy

LAHORE: Deputy High Commissioner of India JP Singh has stressed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accorded priority to improving trade relations with member-states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) and is taking steps in this regard.

As part of the vision to facilitate the trade process, the Indian visa regime had been liberalised and all possible help was being assured to the Pakistanis, he said.at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). He pointed out that Pakistani businessmen were keen to strengthen business relations with their Indian counterparts and for that reason they should be facilitated by the Indian High Commission by issuing visas without delay and on easy terms and conditions.

In response to complaints about the difficulties faced in getting Indian visas, it was proposed that the Indian High Commission should relax and liberalise the visa process by granting two to three-year multiple-entry visas to the bona fide Pakistani businessmen.

It was also suggested that the 45-day visa processing time should be reduced to facilitate the business community.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2016.

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