Indian market is highly receptive to Pakistani textile merchandise, gems and jewellery, furniture, agro-based products and sugar industry by-products, therefore Pakistani businessmen should focus on these areas to enhance two-way trade between Pakistan and India. This was stated by Economic and Trade Minister of Pakistan High Commission in India Naeem Anwar while talking to LCCI Acting President Mian Tariq Misbah on Wednesday.
LCCI Vice President Kashif Anwar, Chairman Pak-India Trade Promotion Committee Aftab Ahmad Vohra, Executive Committee Members Haji Muhammad Akram, Mian Muhammad Afzal, Talha Tayyab Butt, Raja Hamid Riaz, Muhammad Haroon and Jabbar Khalid also spoke on the occasion. Naeem Anwar said that Pakistani businessmen need to chalk-out a well tailored plan to penetrate Indian market to avail the available business opportunities. He said the India imported furniture, gems and jewellery worth billions of dollars only last year. Their furniture import was more than $10 billion in 2012-13.
The diplomat said Pakistani businessmen to visit Indian markets and interact with Indian counterparts for having first-hand knowledge about the opportunities as misperceptions are hitting hard the two way business.
"Since the Indians are now spending more energy on research so they are better equipped to deal with their global partners and Pakistan would also have to focus on research to achieve the desired results on the economic front."
He also stressed the need for Human Resource development which is an important component of the economy in present day globalised world.
Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI Acting President Mian Tariq Misbah apprised the visiting diplomat that the senior leadership of Indian chambers of commerce including confederation of Indian industry and some sector specific organisations were taking great interest to study the dynamics of Pakistan market.
He said that this clearly shows that Indian businessmen are doing their homework to assess the needs and requirements of various sectors especially in the context of some competitive advantages and disadvantages available to both the business communities.
Mian Tariq Misbah said that it is the need of the hour that we should organise more delegations to India and develop close networking with our Indian counterparts.
He said that the role of Pakistan High Commission in Delhi will be of key importance to suggest Pakistani businessmen ways to exploit the Indian market to the best of its potential.
He said that the LCCI wanted that the commercial sections of Pakistan's embassies in abroad to initiate market studies in their respective countries and send the same to business support organisations in Pakistan for their use and ready reference.
He said that the Commercial Section of Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi can rightly guide Pakistani businessmen as to how they can match with the Non-Tariff Barriers currently in place to halt the way of Pakistan's export to India. It is high time that both public and private sectors should join hands to exploit this situation to our fullest benefit.
The LCCI Acting President also urged the Pakistani High Commission to organise fair and exhibitions in India in liaison with Pakistan's major chambers of commerce. Such activities will provide great opportunity to business community to interact directly with Indian businessmen and also examine the Indian market themselves.