Islamabad(TDI): On Thursday, Pakistan and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across business engagements and social sectors.
The three-day 10th Pakistan-Russian Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on trade, economic and technical cooperation concluded with the signing of three key MoUs covering quality standards, anti-monopoly regulation and media collaboration.
IGC, an annual platform that shapes bilateral economic and technical cooperation, brought Pakistan and Russia together at a time when Pakistan is seeking wider economic engagement to stabilize the domestic market and Russia wants to expand ties with non-Western partners as it adapts to sanctions and shifting global trade routes.
The meeting addressed several key areas, including energy cooperation, industrial collaboration, trade facilitation, education, scientific research and disaster management.
Delegates reviewed ongoing initiatives and explored new avenues to enhance commerce. Both sides endorsed plans to activate cargo trains along agreed corridors, viewing it as an early step towards strengthening regional connectivity.
Energy remained a central theme, with discussions covering oil and gas supplies, potential LNG and PNG arrangements and opportunities in renewable energy and hydropower.
Read More: Russian Embassy Congratulates Pakistan on Iqbal Day and World Urdu Day
It also extended to industrial sectors, including production, the potential upgrading of Pakistan Steel Mills’ metallurgical facilities, mining ventures and heavy machinery.
Both sides reaffirmed plans to finalize agreements in education and scientific cooperation, including mutual degree recognition, expanding the scholarships program horizon and supporting joint academic research initiatives.
The establishment of a Russian Language center in Islamabad and Karachi was discussed, to promote Russian language learning, facilitate academic mobility and support broader cultural exchange.
In a special gesture, the Russian delegation visited Islamabad Model College for boys Islamabad, hosted by the federal Directorate of Education.
Humanitarian and disaster management collaboration was another area of convergence. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority and Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations agreed to pursue cooperation on early warning systems and emergency response training.
The three MoUs established formal frameworks for cooperation in competition law enforcement, standards regulation and media collaboration:
- First MoU was signed between the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) to enhance cooperation in competitive law, including cartel investigation, merger control and enforcement capacity building.
- The second MoU was signed by Pakistan’s standards and quality control authority (PSQCA) and Russia’s federal agency for technical regulation and metrology to strengthen collaboration in standardization, metrology and conformity assessments.
- The third agreement was concluded between state-run news agencies, the Associated Press of Pakistan and Russia’s Sputnik to promote media cooperation.
Tayyaba Arif
Tayyaba Arif is a student of International Relations, and takes keen interest in conflict reporting and the dynamics of regional and global affairs. She is especially committed to SDG 17, and believes in effective partnerships and promoting cooperative initiatives. She can be reached at tayyabarrif0@gmail.com
