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<strong>Pakistan</strong>’s <strong>Trade</strong> with <strong>India</strong>: Thinking Strategically<br />

KeY issues To Be addressed<br />

Post-Liberalization <strong>Trade</strong> and Investment Volumes<br />

Gravity models predict that with the resumption of normal trade, the<br />

2009 <strong>Pakistan</strong>-<strong>India</strong> trade volume of $2 billion could be 5 to 10 times<br />

larger. 4 However, gravity models do not adequately capture the complex<br />

relationship between <strong>Pakistan</strong> and <strong>India</strong> that would come into<br />

play with the resumption of normal trade. On the one hand, there is<br />

historical and cultural similarity and, on the other, there are grievances<br />

and grudges. Recently, the <strong>Pakistan</strong> Business Council’s (PBC)<br />

regional trade group (comprised of businessmen, academics, and civil<br />

servants) conducted a survey of perceptions within the group. The<br />

range of perceived trade flows following liberalization is reported in<br />

Table 3. 5 The longer term perceived impact (after about 10 years of<br />

liberalization) is significant.<br />

However, in order for trade flows to realize their full potential, investment<br />

flows must also be on the normalization agenda. An influx of investment<br />

will be good news for <strong>Pakistan</strong>, as it currently needs capital inflows to<br />

Table 3: <strong>Pakistan</strong> Business Council (regional <strong>Trade</strong> Group<br />

Members) Perceptions on likely <strong>Trade</strong> and investment flows<br />

following india-<strong>Pakistan</strong> liberalization<br />

<strong>Trade</strong> Volume<br />

Short-term $1–5 billion<br />

Medium-term $10–20 billion<br />

Long-term $15–50 billion<br />

| 41 |<br />

investment flows into<br />

<strong>Pakistan</strong><br />

By <strong>Pakistan</strong>is By indians<br />

Substantial<br />

increase<br />

Sustained<br />

increase of<br />

more than $1<br />

billion a year

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