(a) whether Joint Working Groups (JWGs) from India and Pakistan are working towards enhancing economic engagements between the two countries;
(b) if so, the details of such JWGs and the number of their meetings held so far; and
(c) the details of the agenda likely to be taken up by these groups in future?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. PRENEET KAUR)
(a) to (c) In pursuance of the decisions taken during the fifth round of India-Pakistan Commerce Secretary level
talks on Commercial and Economic Cooperation held on 27-28, April 2011, in Islamabad, the following Joint Working Group/
Groups of Experts have been set up:
(i) Joint Working Group (JWG) on “Economic and Commercial Cooperation and Trade Promotion†co-chaired by the Joint
Secretaries of the respective Departments of Commerce has been set up. The first meeting of this JWG was held in Delhi
on August 23-24, 2011.
(ii) The Group of Experts to enable trade in electricity has been constituted. The Group has met on October 20, 2011
in New Delhi and on August 2-3, 2012 in Islamabad.
(iii) A Group of Experts on trade in petroleum and petrochemical products has been established to initiate and
substantially expand trade in all types of petroleum products. The first meeting of the Expert Group on trade in petroleum
and petrochemical products was held on July 17-18, 2012 in New Delhi.