Tensions escalate as India prohibits imports from Pakistan following the Pahalgam altercation.
India Slaps an Instant Ban on Imports from Pakistan:
Tensions between India and Pakistan have been escalating following the gruesome terrorist attack on tourists in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) last month. In response, India has just announced a complete trade ban on all goods originating from or passing through Pakistan.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued a notification stating the ban will come into effect immediately due to concerns for national security and public policy. The decision punctuates the worsening relationship between the two nuclear-powered nations.
Remember the devastating attack on tourists in the picturesque town of Pahalgam located in the IIOJK valley? Last month, armed gunmen killed at least 26 people. India swiftly accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, while Pakistan flatly denied the allegations. However, Pakistan claimed it has credible intelligence suggesting that India is planning military action.
To retaliate, Pakistan has imposed its own set of measures. It halted all border trade, closed its airspace to Indian carriers, expelled Indian diplomats, and made it clear that any attempt to block the flow of water from the shared rivers would be considered an act of war.
As a result of these escalating hostilities, trade between the two nations has been dwindling over the last few years. But the latest trade restrictions announced by India take the relationship to a new level. Using national security as its rationale, India now plans to eliminate direct and indirect imports from Pakistan, including goods coming via third countries.
This move represents more than just a mere extension of the 2019 import restrictions following the Pulwama attack, which slapped 200% tariffs on goods from Pakistan and confined trade to limited items such as figs, Himalayan pink salt, and copper. The new ban explicitly rules out the transit of any Pakistani-origin goods through third nations.
It seems like India is stepping up its game with an aim to disengage economically from Pakistan in its entirety.Should we expect further escalation in the India-Pakistan conflict then? Only time will tell.
- The ongoing tension between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Kashmir has led to a retaliatory trade ban by India on imports from Pakistan, which has previously involved figs, Himalayan pink salt, and copper.
- The latest ban by India on goods from Pakistan includes not only direct imports but also indirect ones, which pass through third countries, highlighting a broader intent to disengage economically from Pakistan.
- The political climate and the escalating war-and-conflicts between India and Pakistan have resulted in Pakistan imposing its own measures, such as halting border trade, closing its airspace to Indian carriers, and expelling Indian diplomats.
- With both nations employing restrictive measures, the general news suggests that the relationship between India and Pakistan is worsening, potentially leading to further escalation in the ongoing conflict.
