KV Network

Will PM Modi walk towards Pak

Will PM Modi walk towards Pak
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Prime Minister Narinder Modi has created history. He has become the only BJP leader to have returned back as Prime Minister with a thumping majority for his second term. This feat was earlier achieved by Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, both from the Congress.
Modi’s second term has established him as the tallest Indian political figure which has emerged during the last 40 years in Indian politics. No wonder then that most of the world leaders including Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan offered their congratulatory messages.
Even Imran went to the extent saying that he is looking forward to work with PM Modi to establish peace in the region. Modi also responded back and saying that he too has given primacy to establish peace and security in the region.
This latest communication between the two PM’s has once again raised hopes that the strained relations between the two countries will see some revival. The animosity between the two countries has proven dearly for the people living in both the countries and if some headway is made it will spell beginning of a new era for the entire south Asian region.
To begin with both the countries can start in those fields where no controversy is involved and the steps taken can prove beneficial for both the regions.
India and Pakistan are both members of the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) but the trade between them was strikingly small. Even this small trade was halted after February when the hostility between the two nations touched an all time high.
Economics would predict that trade between the two largest economies in South Asia should be far greater, given the existence of common history, language, culture and the borders. But a variety of political and infrastructural impediments have virtually paralysed bilateral trade relations.
The total trade between the two countries averages only US$2.5 billion a year. Currently, Pakistan accounts for less than 0.5 per cent of India’s trade and India represents little over 3 per cent of Pakistan’s total foreign trade.
Though trade can prove to be a starter in breaking the thaw between the two arch rivals there seems to be ample room between India and Pakistan to create an atmosphere free of distrust and violence.
India follows a neighbourhood first policy to engage for mutual benefit with its neighbours and thus its relationship with Pakistan is of key importance. It is uniquely challenging. Both countries share deep historical, cultural, linguistic, religious and ethnic bonds. They face similar economic challenges as well.
The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based militants in 2016 and India’s surgical strikes inside Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks taking place between them. India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.
However, trade links can prove to be ground breaking if both the nations wish to realize their dream of ending poverty and witnessing growth and prosperity for their people.


KV Network

Kashmir Vision cover all daily updates for the newspaper

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