Pakistan’s reliance on Indian imports grows despite trade suspension

Imports from India in August 2024 had amounted to $2.33 million, compared to $2.23 million in August 2023

By Rana Ghulam Qadir
October 23, 2024
Containers are loaded onto trucks at the seaport terminal DIT Duisburg Intermodal Terminal at the Duisburg harbour, on July 13, 2023. — AFP
Containers are loaded onto trucks at the seaport terminal DIT Duisburg Intermodal Terminal at the Duisburg harbour, on July 13, 2023. — AFP

ISLAMABAD: Despite trade suspension, Pakistan’s reliance on imports from India has once again increased. In August, the second month of the current fiscal year, imports from India had seen a five percent annual increase.

According to government sources, imports from India in August 2024 had amounted to $2.33 million, compared to $2.23 million in August 2023.

The sources say that there was also an increase in imports from India during January and March 2024, as well as in February and May 2023. This marks the second time under the current government that an increase in imports from India has been recorded. Previously, in the first month of this year, March, there was also an annual increase in imports from India.

Due to the trade suspension, Pakistan had halted the process of appointing a trade officer in India. Pakistan had suspended trade with India in August 2019; however, it had later allowed the import of life-saving medicines from India, easing the trade restrictions.