Onus on Pakistan to create conducive atmosphere to resume trade: Govt 

The Government on Thursday informed the parliament that it has taken cognizance of the recent media reports stating that ‘adviser to Pakistan PM Imran Khan backs resumption of trade ties with India’.

V. Muralidharan, the Minister of State (MoS) with the ministry of external affairs was responding to a written question in the Rajya Sabha asking the government’s view on Pakistan’s position. 

“The government’s consistent position has been that India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan,” adding that it “is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully  in  atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence”. 

Further clarifying its position, the government said that the “onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere”.

In August 2019, India exported goods worth $52 million to Pakistan. The same month India withdrew statehood from Kashmir by scrapping Article 370, as a consequence Pakistan retaliated by breaking all trade ties with India. Pakistan's export to New Delhi plunged 90.4 per cent in FY2021, the exports dipped to $0.099 million this year from $1.035 million, which was recorded last year around the same time, Dawn reported.

In February 2022, Abdul Razzak Dawood, adviser to Pakistan PM on commerce said that the trade with India is the need of the hour and beneficial to both countries. "As far as the ministry of commerce is concerned, its position is to do trade with India. And my stance is that we should do trade with India and it should be opened now," said Dawood, who also serves as the Prime Minister's Adviser on Textile, Industry, Production, and Investment.

"Trade with India is very beneficial to all, especially Pakistan. And I support it," he added, according to the Dawn News report.