India has asked Pakistan to allow transportation of fuels and petrochemical products in truck or rail tankers, and proposed laying a pipeline to Lahore eventually for wheeling of petro products.
India made the demand at the first meeting of an experts group that has been set up for starting bilateral trade in petroleum products.
“We discussed the fundamentals (of petroleum trade). We are ready to buy and many countries are interested to sell (fuels and other petro products). We haven’t reached the stage where we discuss the price, but the fundamentals of it show it being competitive,” a member of the Pakistan delegation told Times of India on condition of anonymity.
Pakistan had in March lifted ban on import of petrol from India with the rider that consignments can only be brought in through sea routes. Pakistan allowed diesel imports from India in 2009 with similar condition.
Due to this restriction, Indian refiners have found it difficult to match the rate Pakistan gets from its ally Kuwait.
