India desires “normal neighborly” relations with Pakistan, the government said on Thursday and the onus was on Pakistan to create a conducive atmosphere. The ties between the two countries are virtually frozen since 2019 when New Delhi abolished the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, whose sovereignty is disputed by Pakistan.

The remark came in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, where Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan was responding to a question on the trade ties with Pakistan. 

“The Government’s consistent position has been that India desires normal neighborly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility, and violence. The onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere,” Muraleedharan said in a written response to the question.

Significantly, the question was posed in a reference to a remark by a senior Pakistan official, Abdul Razak Dawood, a trade advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had strongly backed trade ties with India.

Pakistan had announced the suspension of trade ties with India in August 2019 after the latter abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories. Months later, Islamabad relaxed the ban only for the import of pharmaceutical products.

Backing the resumption of trade ties, Khan’s trade advisor Abdul Razak Dawood said in February this year, “The trade with India is very beneficial to all, especially Pakistan. And I support it….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.”

Significantly, Pakistan’s National Security Policy, also suggested the country avoid hostility with India for the next 100 years and decouple trade and business ties with the final settlement of the Kashmir issue. The policy, a first-ever vision document in the country, was unveiled earlier this year. [Read More]

Significantly, the chorus to resume trade ties with New Delhi has been growing in Pakistan, especially in its business and official circle. Earlier, a Pakistan billionaire businessman, Mian Muhammad Mansha, also highlighted the urgency to resume trade with India.

“There are no permanent enemies... we need to resolve things with India,” Mansha said, recalling that over 50—60 percent of Pakistan’s total trade was with India before the 1965 war. 

“If the economy does not improve, [Pakistan] may face disastrous consequences. Pakistan should improve trade relations with India and take a regional approach to economic development,” Mansha added.