Most favoured nation: Pakistan likely to grant India MFN status
Commerce Minister expected to visit New Delhi in mid-September.
NEW DEHLI:
Building upon last month’s positive talks, the commerce ministers of India and Pakistan are set to hold discussions in the Indian capital in September that can lead to Islamabad giving New Delhi the long overdue Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status.
Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim is expected to visit New Delhi in mid-September for talks with his Indian counterpart Anand Sharma.
Sources told India Asian News Service (IANS) on Wednesday that ahead of Fahim’s visit, the joint secretaries (commerce) of India and Pakistan would hold a meeting in the Indian capital. Pakistan’s Joint Secretary (Commerce) Rubina Ather is in New Delhi now, leading a six-member delegation which consists of trade officials.
Besides the likelihood of India getting the MFN status, the two sides will also discuss the possibility of India allowing Pakistan foreign direct investment, the sources said. The MFN status for India will be critical in expanding the untapped trade potential between the two countries, they said.
India-Pakistan trade was $1.85 billion in 2009-10. Indian exports accounted for $1.78 billion.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2011.
Building upon last month’s positive talks, the commerce ministers of India and Pakistan are set to hold discussions in the Indian capital in September that can lead to Islamabad giving New Delhi the long overdue Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status.
Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim is expected to visit New Delhi in mid-September for talks with his Indian counterpart Anand Sharma.
Sources told India Asian News Service (IANS) on Wednesday that ahead of Fahim’s visit, the joint secretaries (commerce) of India and Pakistan would hold a meeting in the Indian capital. Pakistan’s Joint Secretary (Commerce) Rubina Ather is in New Delhi now, leading a six-member delegation which consists of trade officials.
Besides the likelihood of India getting the MFN status, the two sides will also discuss the possibility of India allowing Pakistan foreign direct investment, the sources said. The MFN status for India will be critical in expanding the untapped trade potential between the two countries, they said.
India-Pakistan trade was $1.85 billion in 2009-10. Indian exports accounted for $1.78 billion.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2011.