Indian FM Jaishankar says ‘no talks’ held on trade with Pakistan

Published January 22, 2025
Indian Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar speaks to reporters at the Indian Embassy in Washington, US on January 22. — Screengrab via X (@DrSJaishankar)
Indian Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar speaks to reporters at the Indian Embassy in Washington, US on January 22. — Screengrab via X (@DrSJaishankar)

Indian Foreign Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday said that there had been no talks on trade between his country and Pakistan, nor had there been any proposals to resume the flow of commerce.

Delhi’s top diplomat made the remarks while fielding questions from reporters at the Indian embassy in Washington, where he had travelled to attend the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on Monday.

In response to a question about trade with Pakistan, Jaishankar said: “After last year, there have been no talks with Pakistan about trade, nor has any initiative come forward from their side.”

He further said about the situation between the neighbours: “We never stopped trade. Any steps taken to stop trade with India were taken from their side in 2019. Our concern from the beginning was that they never granted us MFN (Most Favoured Nation) status, even though we granted it to them.”

Pakistan, under the government of then-prime minister Imran Khan, had downgraded diplomatic relations with New Delhi and suspended all bilateral trade in August 2019, when India revoked occupied Kashmir’s special status by repealing Article 370 of its constitution.

Last August, the Foreign Office (FO) had said trade with India was not on the cards, citing the unchanged situation in Indian-held Kashmir since the 2019 events that led to the initial suspension.

“The situation remains intact, and at this point, there are no bilateral talks between the two countries with respect to bilateral trade between Pakistan and India,” then-FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had said while responding to a question regarding India’s lack of reciprocation to Pakistan’s overtures for restoring trade relations.

In March 2024, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had said that the relevant stakeholders would “seriously examine” the trade situation with India as he highlighted the concerns of the business community.

Leaders of the PML-N government have on multiple occasions, since coming to office last year, expressed the administration’s willingness to reevaluate trade relations with India

In March 2021, the Economic Coordination Committee had announced it would allow the private sector to import 0.5 million tonnes of white sugar from India and cotton via the Wagah border. However, the decision was reversed within days following severe criticism from the opposition.

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

From hard to harder

From hard to harder

Instead of ‘hard state’ turning even harder, citizens deserve a state that goes soft on them in delivering democratic and development aspirations.

Editorial

Canal unrest
Updated 03 Apr, 2025

Canal unrest

With rising water scarcity in Indus system, it is crucial to move towards a consensus-driven policymaking process.
Iran-US tension
03 Apr, 2025

Iran-US tension

THE Trump administration’s threats aimed at Iran do not bode well for global peace, and unless Washington changes...
Flights to history
03 Apr, 2025

Flights to history

MOHENJODARO could have been the forgotten gold we desperately need. Instead, this 5,000-year-old well of antiquity ...
Eid amidst crises
Updated 31 Mar, 2025

Eid amidst crises

Until the Muslim world takes practical steps to end these atrocities, these besieged populations will see no joy.
Women’s rights
Updated 01 Apr, 2025

Women’s rights

Such judgements, and others directly impacting women’s rights should be given more airtime in media.
Not helping
Updated 02 Apr, 2025

Not helping

If it's committed to peace in Balochistan, the state must draw a line between militancy and legitimate protest.