Top Trending News

‘No Trade Talks’ held with Pakistan: Indian FM Jaishankar

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar clarified on Wednesday that no trade discussions have occurred between India and Pakistan since 2022. Addressing a press briefing at the Indian Embassy in Washington, Jaishankar stated that neither New Delhi nor Islamabad has proposed resuming bilateral trade talks.

The Indian diplomat emphasized that India never halted trade with its neighbor, placing the onus on Pakistan for suspending trade relations. “Their government decided to stop trade in 2019,” he said.

Jaishankar highlighted that India granted Pakistan Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, which Pakistan never reciprocated. He remarked, “Every country has the sovereign right to make its own decisions regarding international commitments. We may have differing views, but these are choices each country makes.”

Pakistan severed trade ties with India in 2019 following the Indian government’s unilateral revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Islamabad viewed the move as undermining conditions necessary for constructive dialogue.

Pakistan has consistently linked the normalization of ties with India to the restoration of IIOJK’s special status.

Despite strained relations, there were moments of diplomatic thaw. In February 2021, both nations renewed a ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC). However, in August 2022, Pakistan’s Foreign Office firmly denied any ongoing talks to resume bilateral trade, citing India’s actions in IIOJK as the primary obstacle.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has expressed optimism about improving relations with India.

In an interview with Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, Nawaz reiterated his commitment to fostering ties. “I have always been a proponent of good relations with India,” he said. He also voiced hope for a future meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sharif recalled moments of diplomatic progress during his previous tenures when Indian leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999) and Narendra Modi (2015) visited Pakistan. He also extended congratulations to Modi on his re-election for a third term.

Comments are closed.